Early action is needed across the UK to identify and support children under 5 with mental health problems that could blight their adult lives, says a report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych).1

The college called on governments in the four UK nations to prioritise the mental health of young children and help them become fully functioning adults. It said that £16bn annually is spent in England alone on interventions to tackle mental health problems that could have been prevented through action in early childhood.

In 2017, 5.5% of 2 to 5 year olds had a mental …