The number of children waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment in Wales could nearly triple to 61,000 over the next two years, a committee heard.

Sarah Murphy, Wales’ mental health minister, told the Senedd’s children’s committee that 20,770 children were waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment in September 2024.

She said: “The assessment we’ve got from the NHS Executive is that we’re going to see, by March 2027, between 41,000 to 61,000 people waiting for these assessments."

Giving evidence on 9 January Ms Murphy pointed to an extra £3m for health boards and said: “It will benefit the children and young people who have been waiting the longest and the money then is dependent on the delivery.”