THE CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IS HOLDING BACK
GOVERNMENT’S GROWTH PLANS
New research released today (Wednesday 5th February) warns that the mental health crisis facing children and young people will prevent the Government from its mission of boosting economic growth and productivity as well as impacting the lives of thousands of young people. The research estimates that the long-term impact of mental health problems in childhood now costs the UK over £1 trillion in lifetime lost earnings.
The research is published as part of the launch of a new campaign bringing together four of the UK’s leading children and young people’s and mental health organisations – Centre for Mental Health, Centre for Young Lives, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and YoungMinds, with the support of the Prudence Trust – which is urging the Government to deliver urgent reform and investment to boost children’s mental health services in its forthcoming Spending Review and 10 Year NHS Plan.
- New research published by the campaign shows how the cost of poor mental health is holding back the Government’s growth plans through reduced tax receipts, increased benefit spending, a £24bn a year cost to employers in lost productivity, and the staggering amount of £1 trillion in lost earnings.
- The research also reveals the cost of deteriorating mental health between young people’s referral and receiving support is now £295m a year. A lack of capacity in the system means too many young people reach crisis point, putting pressure on emergency, urgent and crisis services, straining bed capacity, and creating enormous waiting times.
- It also finds that the costs of persistent absence from school – which has mirrored the rise in mental ill health – were £1.17bn in the 2023/24 school year.
- The campaign calls for increased investment so 70% of diagnosable need is met by mental health services by the end of this Parliament and for investment in community services such as Mental Health Support Teams and open access hubs that intervene early and prevent mental health problems from worsening.
- The campaign also urges Ministers to acknowledge the scale of the crisis in children’s mental health and ignore ‘wishful thinking’ that it is exaggerated or a result of “over-medicalisation”, and also calls for an independent Government-commissioned review to examine the causes of the children’s mental health crisis, including the role played by social media.
Today’s campaign comes at a time of unprecedented crisis in children and young people’s mental health. One in five children and young people now experience a common mental health problem such as anxiety or depression. The number of young people in contact with mental
health.
Read the report HERE