The mum of a teen who took his own life after he was admitted to an adult psychiatric ward has hit out as figures show the number of kids being treated in “inappropriate” units has doubled in two years.
Data from Public Health Scotland reports that the number of under-18s needing psychiatric hospital treatment admitted outwith Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has jumped from 21.5 per cent between October and December 2023, to 43.3 per cent during the same period in 2025.
The figures have alarmed bereaved families and youth suicide campaigners who say vulnerable children are being failed by a shortage of specialist care. Jane Macdonell, 57, lost her son Harris in 2020 – two years after he was hospitalised in an adult psych ward at Huntlyburn near Melrose at the age of just 16.
View 9 ImagesHarris with his mum Jane and brother’s Patrick and Robbie. (Image: Supplied)
A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into his death last year heard concerns over the shortage of specialist beds for young people with serious mental health issues.
Jane said the situation for kids in crisis is getting worse, despite repeated warnings.
She told the Record: After the FAI into Harris’s death, Sheriff Peter Paterson said that admitting kids into adult wards is ‘wholly inappropriate’.
View 9 ImagesJane Macdonnell(Image: Daily Record)
“We know the damage these environments cause to young people, so I’m extremely concerned by this rise in numbers.
“The time that Harris spent there completely broke his trust in mental health professionals.”
Harris was admitted to the adult was for nine nights after his family were informed that there were no beds available at the units for vulnerable young people in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee.
View 9 ImagesHarris Macdonell was placed in an adult psychiatric ward aged 16.(Image: Supplied)
Jane continued: “He was terrified in there and became increasingly distressed the longer he stayed.
“The ward was filled with adults with drug or drink addiction. It was no place for kids.
“He simply should not have been placed there.”
View 9 ImagesJane Macdonnell with husband David(Image: Daily Record)
Harris made several attempts to escape during his stay at the ward.
In one horrific incident he jumped from a moving vehicle while being transported back to the hospital and required plastic surgery for facial and scalp injuries.
Jane added: “It was awful to see him like that. He was so anxious and stressed all the time.”
View 9 ImagesHarris with siblings; Katie, Patrick and Robbie. (Image: Supplied)
The teen was discharged and transferred to Edinburgh Young Persons Unit, but his mum noticed he had become more withdrawn, wasn’t sleeping and developed tics.
Over the next two years, the talented young rugby player continued to struggle with his mental health and became so terrified of being sent back to the Huntlyburn ward that he took his own life in August 2020.
Harris tragically climbed an electricity pole and was electrocuted.
Jane, who worked as a paediatric consultant for 30 years, believes her son’s experience in the unit contributed to his death.
She continued: “Harris became suspicious and wary of mental health professionals. He just didn’t want to engage with them when he became ill again. He was traumatised by the experience of the adult ward.
“Young people need to be in environments where they feel safe because the mental health services in Harris’ case did more harm than good.
“But these latest figures show even more children are going to these facilities. What is the Scottish Government going to do about that?
“Harris was a beautiful, sensitive, intelligent and talented boy. We are heartbroken for him and the pain he went through and do not want this to happen to other families.”
View 9 ImagesHarris was a talented musician.(Image: Supplied)
The Daily Record’s Save Young Lives campaign is calling for urgent action to improve mental health support for vulnerable young people in Scotland.
Campaigners warn children in crisis are too often falling through gaps in the system while waiting for specialist support.
View 9 ImagesThe Record’s Save Young Lives campaign
Billy Burke, Head of Children and Young People at Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), said: “Poor mental health is on the rise among our young people, so it’s alarming to learn that the proportion of under 18s admitted to hospital for psychiatric reasons but not treated in a specialist ward for young people has more than doubled in just two years.
“At the same time, more than a third of children and young people referred to CAMHS are being rejected.
“The next Scottish Government needs to make sure that young people’s mental health is treated as the priority it has to be.”
View 9 ImagesHarris with his parents, Jane and Dave and brother.(Image: Supplied)
A Scottish Government spokesperson pointed to recent investment in children’s mental health services, including meeting its target for 90 per cent of young people to begin CAMHS treatment within 18 weeks by December 2025.
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Ministers from the last government also highlighted increased mental health spending, additional community support funding and a new suicide prevention action plan focused on early intervention and improving support for young people in crisis.
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