Children who experience serious mental or behavioural health issues are significantly more likely to face barriers to employment as adults, according to new research.
The study, from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which tracks individuals born in a single week in 1970, shows that mental health problems at age 10 can continue to affect individuals more than four decades later.
The IPPR analysis reveals that children with severe mental health issues are 85 percent more likely to report symptoms of depression by the age of 51. They are also 68 percent more likely to have a long-term health condition that limits their ability to work. The findings are presented as evidence of the need for early mental health intervention to prevent a long-term impact on individuals’ wellbeing and economic participation.
The research also notes the wider consequences of poor child health. Among families where children develop long-term health conditions, one in four mothers leaves the workforce entirely. Physical health concerns are similarly significant, with children experiencing health problems at age 10 found to be 38 percent more likely to face limited work capacity later in life.
The study comes as one in five children in England is reported to have a probable mental health issue, while one in four is classified as obese. The IPPR argues that these are not only immediate public health concerns but also indicators of rising pressure on public services in future decades.
Targeted investment and national leadership
The think tank is urging political leaders to prioritise preventative investment in child health, including mental health services, to limit the long-term burden on the NHS and welfare systems. The report recommends focusing on high-impact interventions, particularly those aimed at 14 to 19-year-olds, who will soon be entering the workforce. The aim is to support mental health early and improve long-term labour market outcomes.
Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, said, “The earlier we address both physical and mental health challenges in children, the more likely we can prevent costly health conditions and worklessness later in life. This is not just a matter of improving individual lives, but also of alleviating long-term pressures on the state.”
IPPR is also proposing the introduction of a children’s investment standard to secure dedicated spending on early intervention. This would involve embedding preventative funding within the NHS and other public bodies. The organisation advocates the creation of a central Children’s Unit, backed by an expanded role for the Children’s Commissioner, to provide strategic leadership in children’s health policy.
Amy Gandon, IPPR associate fellow and former senior official at the Department of Health and Social Care, said, “Successive governments have failed to face up to the long-term consequences of poor child health. If this government is serious about building a preventative state, it must act decisively to improve the prospects of our children and young people.
“What’s more, the dividends from doing so need not be decades away; the right action now – for example, for those joining the workforce within a few years – can deliver better health, opportunity and growth within this Parliament.”
The importance of early support and prevention
Olly Parker, head of external affairs at YoungMinds, welcomed the research and noted the wider societal and economic costs of inaction.
“The cost to an individual young person who is struggling with their mental health without the right support is devastating, and the toll is felt on families, friends and the communities around them,” he said. “As this important new research lays bare, it also has huge economic implications, both immediately and across the whole life course.
“It doesn’t need to be this way. In the upcoming Spending Review, the Government has an opportunity to show they are ambitious about young people and their mental health. They must prioritise investment and reform, with a particular focus on prevention and early intervention – such as through the national rollout of early support hubs. By acting now, they can make a difference to thousands of young people’s lives – and provide a much-needed boost to the economy.”
