Children with severe mental or
behavioural issues are almost twice as likely to have symptoms of
depression in mid-life and two-thirds more likely to have limited
ability to work, according to new research from the Institute for
Public Policy Research (IPPR).
Extensive new analysis by the think
tank, following individuals born in a single week in 1970
throughout their lives, finds that mental health problems at age
10 have significant implications 40 years
on.
The authors found that children with
severe mental and behavioural problems are
85 per cent more likely to
have symptoms of depression at age 51 and 68
per cent more likely to have a long-term condition that impacts
their ability to work.
The correlation also extends to poor
physical health, as children with a physical health problem
are 38 per cent more
likely to have limited capacity for work
later in
life.
The health of children doesn't just
affect their work prospects later in life, but affects those
around them in the here and now. For every four children
developing a long-term health condition, one of their mothers is
likely to leave the workforce
altogether.
As one in five children in England
currently have a probable mental health issue, and one in four
are obese due to lack of access
to healthy, affordable food where they live. These are burgeoning
pressures on public services now, and in the future. The
researchers say it is a social and economic imperative to improve
children's health.
The findings underscore the long-term
impacts of untreated mental or behavioural issues and highlight
the urgent need for early intervention to prevent soaring demand
on the NHS, council services and social security system. IPPR
says significant investment, regulation and political action is
needed, including:
-
Targeting investment on
high-impact, cost-saving interventions that can deliver early
wins, such as
adolescent mental health support for 14-19 year olds soon to
enter the labour market
-
Introducing a children's
investment standard to safeguard spending on children and ‘hardwire'
preventative spending in the NHS and other public
services
-
More focused and
visible leadership on children's health
through a dedicated Children's Unit
and an expanded role for the Children's Commissioner, and
clear, singular accountability to overcome decades of policy
fragmentation.
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.”
Amy Gandon, IPPR associate
fellow and former senior DHSC official on children's
health,
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."
Olly Parker, head of
external affairs at YoungMinds, said:
“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. 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."
ENDS
NOTES TO
EDITORS
