THE number of children needing treatment for serious mental health problems including eating disorders has risen dramatically, figures show.

NHS England data shows a 39 per cent rise in a year in referrals for mental health treatment in the service for under-18s, to more than a million in 2021/22.

In the previous pandemic year 2020/21 the figure was 839,570, and 2019/20 saw 850,741 referrals.