Chancellor should make “positive investment in childhood” to build resilience and growth for children

Place2Be has called on the Chancellor to make a “positive investment in childhood” to better join up services and support all schools to be places where children want to be so that they can thrive throughout childhood into adulthood, as well as supporting them to gain and sustain fulfilling, well-paid work.

Research from PBE suggests that improving children’s mental health could boost government income by up to £2,500 per child, through higher tax revenues and reduced welfare spending. Overall, the research said doing so could lead to a £51 billion economic boost to the UK economy, including through higher lifetime earnings for the young person.

Place2Be is the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity who work with schools to provide embedded mental health services, promoting good mental health for all children and expert services for those with greater needs. We also work with parents and school, building capacity in the school community to address children’s needs. Place2Be’s work has been shown to improve engagement in school, support attendance, reduce exclusions, and ultimately contribute to improved academic results. 

The recent government-commissioned Keep Britain Working report also reported a 76% rise in economic inactivity among 16-34 year-olds due to mental health conditions over the last five years. It found that mental illness is now a primary driver of economic inactivity, particularly among young people. With half of all mental health conditions established by age 14, this underscores the importance of early intervention support in childhood.