The views and concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) relating to rises in the use of Ritalin with children thought to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been endorsed by the British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP).

According to the DECP, there appears to be no clear consensus regarding appropriate diagnosis and prescription rates, especially judging by wide variation in such rates internationally.

The DECP feels the 670,000 prescriptions in the UK - which accounts for around 1.5 per cent of school-aged children - is disproportionately high and, as such, poses safeguarding risks for the nation's young people.

Psychologists have suggested that the high diagnosis rates seen in the UK are partly down to the lack of regular triangulation of data from school, home and other settings, with too much reliance placed on parent reports that focus on questionnaire answers as opposed to direct observation.

The diagnosing of normal patterns of childhood behaviour as medical disorders - such as ADHD - has been labelled unwise by psychologists in the UK, Europe and the US as it can lead to young people becoming reliant on drugs and facing unnecessary stigmatisation. 

The DECP endorses the CQC report as providing good advice about the options available for supporting children with such diverse needs and properly safeguarding them today and in the future.

The full CQC report can be viewed here.

The Society issued statements on DSM-5 during the consultation period and the Division of Clinical Psychology issued a statement in May. Links to these can be found here.