The children's commissioner for England has said there is "some way to go" to improve NHS care for mentally ill children.
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green acknowledged that progress had been made towards ensuring government targets that no young people are placed on adult mental health wards by 2010 are met.
His comments come after he published a joint report with the Young Minds charity and the group Very Important Kids which showed that only 15 per cent of children surveyed in 200 trusts were being treated on the right wards.
Sir Al said many responses he received "show a real determination to address the gaps identified and a commitment to achieving concrete improvements".
"Those primary care trusts and mental health trusts are to be applauded and I warmly welcome their efforts, and the strong support provided by the government," he said.
However, he said "much still needs to be done" in other primary care trusts and mental health trusts "to ensure young people placed on adult wards have the appropriate level of care and support that they need".
Last January, Sir Al published a report warning that a shortage of hospital beds for under-18s meant that young people with mental health problems were receiving inappropriate or inadequate care.
A Department of Health spokesman said spending on mental health services has increased by 31 per cent, or £1.2bn, in the past five years, "allowing the NHS to invest in the services and staff needed to transform mental health provision".
"This has included a commitment that, by November this year, no under-16 will be treated on an adult psychiatric ward and that by April 2010, all under-18s will be treated in an age appropriate environment in hospital," he added.
"We are confident that all trusts will meet these commitments on time, commissioning extra provision where required."
