A new report has laid bare the scale of crisis facing community child health services, with treatment waiting times for children and young people across mid and north Wales growing at a “startling” rate.

A fresh report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) highlights the devastating consequences of prolonged under-investment in community healthcare, and the growing waiting lists faced by children and young people as a result.

The analysis of data obtained from Freedom of Information requests between March and May 2025 from health boards across Wales reveals dramatic increases in waiting times.

In Hywel Dda the number of children waiting for community paediatric services has increased by 4.1 per cent between 2018 and 2025, rising from 1,477 to 1,538.

The number waiting for an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment has risen by 781 per cent since 2018 and the number waiting for an ADHD assessment have risen by 331 per cent since 2018.

In Powys, the health board employs three community paediatricians, and has 119 children waiting for community paediatric services and 1,109 for ND services a rise of 112 per cent from 2022 to 2025.

Betsi Cadwaladr health board in north Wales community paediatric waits have increased from 805 in 2018 to 8,986 in 2025, a 1016 per cent increase.

The RCPCH has called on the Welsh Government to deliver on its long-standing ambition of care closer to home by investing in early years support and ensuring adequate staffing across disciplines like community paediatrics, speech and language therapy, and mental health.

RCPCH Officer for Wales, Dr Nick Wilkinson, said: “Children and young people are too often overlooked, with services focused on adult pressures.

“Despite the Welsh Government’s aim to deliver care closer to home, community child health remains underfunded — with too few health visitors, continence nurses and speech and language therapists.

“These gaps have serious consequences, from poor school readiness to long-term health issues and we’re seeing the impact of this on all our services

“Early intervention is vital, yet growing waiting lists and delays are leaving children without the timely care they need.

“The Welsh Government must act now to prioritise and invest in children’s services — before more young lives are impacted.

Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes MBE, said: “The importance of early intervention in children’s health can’t be overstated, yet the startling waiting times outlined in the report show that children are missing out on a range of vital interventions—and alarmingly, at a growing rate.

“The wider themes raised in the report are issues my office has consistently raised over the years, like poor transitions to adult care, a system that can be complex to navigate, and care being reliant on assessments rather than need.

“These deficiencies must be a priority for the Welsh Government.

“Failure to act will risk health problems worsening over time and having a significant impact well into adulthood, as well as placing more and more pressure on public services.”