Latest policy insights on youth employment and voting from Youth Employment UK Policy and Research Director, Rupal Patel.
It is now widely known that young people are more likely to experience a common mental disorder (CMD) than any other age group. This crisis is not a new one. Since our first Youth Voice Census report, six years ago we have consistently heard young people expressing their concerns surrounding their mental health, listing this as one of their biggest barriers to employment.
The last few years have been met with disruption and uncertainty, where concerns and struggles have gone largely unsupported, making way for a growing sense of disenfranchisement. The 2023 Youth Voice Census findings indicated that just 30% of young people agreed that they could access support for their mental health locally. Stories of long waiting lists, or not knowing where to access support from that eventually result in tragic suicide attempts have become far too familiar. Providing early intervention and preventative support to all young people with mental health problems needs to be a priority.
A recent report published by Child of the North and Anne Longfield’s Centre for Young Lives think tank highlights this bleak reality of the mental health crisis young people are facing. The report stresses that there are approximately 1.4 million children and young people (aged 8-17 years) with a mental health condition in England. Despite some extra investment in recent years, the report findings suggest that only a third of schools in England have dedicated mental health teams. The government’s current aspiration of expanding mental health support teams (MHST) only extends this to half of schools by 2025. If schools are not given dedicated funding, 4 million children will not have access to mental health support in schools. The scale of this crisis demands so much more.
Rightly so, the report exemplifies the evidence that highlights mental health is complex and successful solutions will go beyond the NHS and involve multiple stakeholders working in partnership with affected children and young people and their families. The report calls on the government to expand the mental health support offered through schools and educational settings from primary school onwards. It is important that this does not add to the already excessive burdens on teachers.
The evidence is clear, prevention and early intervention is needed. A recent review found that childhood anxiety problems are associated with worse outcomes in 15 areas of daily life in adolescence and adulthood, including worse employment patterns. Focusing attention on the interlinked problems of worsening mental health and economic inactivity is important. At Youth Employment UK, we want to see an education system that can support our young people to flourish and reach their full potential. Failing to provide the funding and support in schools and intervene early is holding back the life chances of thousands of our young people. Therefore, we welcome the report that makes evidence-informed recommendations to show how the next government should prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of its children and young people.
