Children with severe mental or behavioural health issues are significantly more likely to experience limited work capacity and depression by mid-life, according to new research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The think tank’s analysis shows a strong link between childhood mental health problems and long-term impacts on employment and wellbeing.
Tracking individuals born in a single week in 1970 across five decades, the study finds that children with serious mental or behavioural problems at age 10 are 85 per cent more likely to experience symptoms of depression by age 51. They are also 68 per cent more likely to face limitations in their ability to work due to long-term health conditions.
The correlation is not limited to mental health alone. Children with physical health issues were found to be 38 per cent more likely to have reduced work capacity later in life. The study also shows that the effects ripple into family life, with one in four mothers of children with long-term health conditions leaving the workforce altogether.
The research comes at a time when one in five children in England is reported to have a probable mental health condition and one in four is obese, often due to restricted access to affordable, healthy food. IPPR argues these trends represent growing pressure on public services and a missed opportunity for early intervention.
Preventative Measures Needed to Reduce Long-Term Barriers to Work
IPPR is calling for more political attention and investment in child health to address the growing impact on the labour market and state spending. The think tank argues that targeting preventative action early in life could reduce demand on the NHS, social security and council services while improving long-term employment outcomes.
Among its recommendations, IPPR urges the Government to prioritise cost-saving interventions with immediate impact, such as mental health support for 14 to 19-year-olds preparing to enter the workforce. It also proposes the introduction of a children’s investment standard to ensure consistent funding for preventative services in the NHS and beyond.
Further, the report advocates for more visible leadership through the creation of a dedicated Children’s Unit and an expanded role for the Children’s Commissioner. Clear accountability, it argues, is necessary to overcome what it describes as decades of fragmented policy on child health.
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 Department of Health and Social Care official, added: “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.”
Economic and Social Costs of Inaction Highlighted
The wider economic impact of untreated mental health conditions among young people is also noted in the study. Olly Parker, head of external affairs at YoungMinds, emphasised the dual human and economic costs of insufficient mental health support: “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 called on the Government to use the upcoming Spending Review to show commitment to youth mental health, particularly by investing in early intervention services such as 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,” he said.
IPPR’s findings reinforce the argument that early health interventions are not just a matter of public wellbeing but have measurable impacts on future labour market participation and productivity. The organisation argues that delaying action will result in growing costs and reduced workforce capacity in the decades to come.
