Mental Health Need and Inequalities in Access to Care Amongst Children Aged 3-11: Evidence from the Born in Bradford Cohort in England

Mental health difficulties among children and young people are becoming increasingly common, yet many children who need support do not receive it. Understanding whether children are able to access mental health services when they need them is essential for improving support and reducing inequalities.

In this study, we will use information from the Born in Bradford research programme to examine children’s emotional wellbeing between the ages of 3 and 11 years. We will identify groups of children who show different patterns of emotional difficulties over time, including those with persistently high levels of emotional difficulties by using trajectory data available in BiB.

We will then link these patterns of emotional difficulties to information about healthcare use to understand whether children with greater mental health needs are more likely to receive support. In particular, we will examine whether children who appear to have the highest levels of need are accessing mental health-related services.

We will also investigate whether access to care differs between groups of children. This includes examining differences by ethnicity, neighbourhood deprivation, sex, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and whether English is an additional language (EAL). Among children who do receive support, we will explore whether some groups experience delays in receiving care, have fewer contacts with services, or are more likely to first access support through emergency or crisis routes rather than planned care.

The findings will help improve understanding of how well mental health services are reaching children who need them most. By identifying potential inequalities in access to care, this research will provide evidence that can support more equitable and timely mental health services for children and families in Bradford and across England.