The divide between child and adult disorders disrupts the continuity of clinical care and is untenable in the face of evidence for continuity of psychopathology across ages.

The ICD-11 Working Group on Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders in Children and Adolescents has set out to integrate the categories previously grouped as “Disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence” in the main classification.

The primary aim is to provide a classification that will facilitate efficient clinical care and will be easy to use for a range of medical and non-medical professionals across the World.

The recommendations are based on literature reviews, group discussions and consultations with leading professionals. Clinical utility is the primary criterion.

The principal proposals are: (1) A grouping of neurodevelopmental disorders will include autism, learning disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other categories open to individuals irrespective of age; (2) Conduct disorder and Antisocial Personality disorder can be merged into a single category ‘Conduct/dissocial disorder’ diagnosed based on aggressive and deceptive behaviors in children and in adults; (3) Feeding and eating disorders can be merged into a single grouping with the same categories available to all age groups; (4) Categories that appear clinically useful but have insufficient evidence will be included in the main classification, but marked as ‘requiring further testing’; these may include disruptive mood dysregulation with dysphoria disorder, psychopathy, catatonia and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder.

The proposals are subject to further consultation and field testing.