Merton Council Tackles Surge in Adolescent Mental Health Needs and Neurodiversity Diagnoses
Merton Council's Health and Wellbeing Board convened on Thursday, October 1, 2026, to address a significant increase in adolescent mental health needs and the diagnosis of neurodiverse children. The board reviewed progress on the Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030, highlighting a growing demand for support services.
Bev Hendricks, Executive Director for Children, Lifelong Learning and Families, noted a rise in the needs of particularly adolescents around social, emotional and mental health support needs.
This trend is mirrored by an increase in the need for both intervention and diagnosis of children who may be neurodiverse and those with autism.
This surge has been observed across schools and caseloads, with parents and children requiring more comprehensive support.
In response to these escalating needs, a Children and Young People's Mental Health Partnership has been established, uniting 30 key partners. The overarching principle guiding this initiative, known as Start Strong,
is to intervene at the earliest opportunity, with an emphasis on prevention and responding to need without waiting for a diagnosis.
This approach aims to provide timely support before issues escalate.
Addressing Neurodiversity and Waiting Lists
The council is actively working to transform pathways for neurodiversity diagnoses and support. A dedicated work programme is underway to invest in and enhance these services, with a focus on a needs-led approach rather than solely on diagnosis. Southwest London, with St. George's as the primary children's provider, faces significant waiting lists for assessments.
While the exact current waiting times are not precisely quantified, the meeting indicated that the waiting lists are significant in Southwest London.
One example cited a family with an appointment for an assessment in October 2027 for a referral made much earlier in the year. Despite these challenges, the council stated, there is no move in Southwest London to have a minimum wait time. What we want to do is we want to try and reduce the wait time as much as we possibly can.
Measuring Success and Future Outlook
The effectiveness of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Partnership is being monitored through various channels. The Start Strong
initiative has reported positive outcomes, acknowledged by the Children's Trust Board and Young Inspectors. The Children's Trust Board's quarterly report details the regular review of six key outcomes. Furthermore, young scrutineers and inspectors have conducted mystery shopping
exercises, experiencing services firsthand and providing valuable feedback on what works well and areas for improvement from a child's lived experience.
The meeting underscored Merton's commitment to addressing the growing mental health challenges faced by young people through a multi-faceted approach involving early intervention, prevention, and a focus on individual needs. The council aims to create a more responsive and effective support system for all children and adolescents in the borough.
For more details on the Merton Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030, refer to the Public reports pack.