Does access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) impact violent behaviour and criminal justice involvement in children and young people

Thousands of children and young people in the UK are referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) each year, yet no one knows whether getting that help makes them more or less likely to commit violent acts or end up in the criminal justice system. This matters because the link between mental health treatment and behaviour is poorly understood. Without clear evidence, clinicians and policymakers cannot know whether expanding CAMHS access reduces violence and arrests, has no effect, or—worryingly—inadvertently increases criminal justice involvement through increased monitoring or labelling. The project will analyse linked health, police, and court records to compare outcomes for children who receive CAMHS treatment against those who do not. If this research succeeds, it could reshape how mental health services for young people are designed and funded. A clear finding that CAMHS access reduces violent behaviour and arrests would strengthen the case for investment. A finding of no effect—or a negative effect—would demand urgent redesign of services. The results could influence commissioning decisions across NHS trusts, youth justice policy, and school-based mental health support, affecting systems that quietly shape the life trajectories of hundreds of thousands of children.