Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, May 19: Children in Great Britain who suffer from severe mental health conditions are two-thirds more likely to have limited ability to work in adulthood, according to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

The study analyzed data from around 6,000 participants of the 1970 British Cohort Study, tracking individuals born in one week of 1970 across Great Britain. It found those with serious childhood mental and behavioral health problems were 85% more likely to experience depression by age 51 and 68% more likely to have long-term conditions affecting their work capacity. In contrast, children with physical health issues were 38% more likely to face work limitations later in life.

The IPPR urged the government to protect spending on children’s health and preventive services within the NHS, and to expand the role of the children’s commissioner to safeguard young people’s futures.

Government initiatives include expanding mental health teams in schools, investing £680 million in mental health services, and recruiting 8,500 extra mental health workers. Labour has promised targeted dental hygiene programmes, faster paediatric surgeries, and a 9pm watershed on junk food ads.

Amy Gandon, associate fellow at IPPR, warned that successive governments have neglected long-term child health consequences. “Decisive action now can improve health, opportunity, and growth within this parliament,” she said.

Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at IPPR, added that addressing physical and mental health challenges early can prevent costly conditions and worklessness later, easing pressure on public services.

A Department of Health spokesperson emphasized the government’s commitment to prevention, highlighting recent expansions in school mental health support and increased therapy access through the Plan for Change initiative.