Investigating inequalities in children and young people's mental healthcare and outcomes: prospective longitudinal analysis from the STADIA trial

The authors aimed to investigate how sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and clinical factors influence access to mental health services and outcomes for children and young people (CYP) with emotional difficulties. Their findings indicate that older CYP and those from less deprived neighborhoods are more likely to have their referrals accepted and achieve better clinical outcomes, while younger children and those from more deprived areas face significant barriers to care. Overall, the study highlights persistent inequalities in access to mental health services and limited improvements in clinical outcomes one year post-referral.