Health9/12/2025•The Guardian
Children detained under Mental Health Act held for hours in A&E departments
According to the article, children as young as nine in England and Wales are being detained under the Mental Health Act and held for hours in accident and emergency (A&E) departments under police control. This practice has arisen due to a lack of specialist suites for mental health assessments. The detention of children in police cells was banned in 2017, but the absence of suitable alternatives has resulted in these children being taken to A&E departments instead. The article suggests that this situation is far from ideal, as these children require specialized care and support, which is not readily available in A&E settings.
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