Alan Milburn’s interim findings on 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training (NEET) give an ‘alarming and accurate’ picture of the complexities facing young people as they look for work.

The interim report has found the number of NEETs in the UK has risen to more than one million - the highest it's been in 12 years.

Complex difficulties in finding work

Young people face genuine and complex difficulties in finding work. Narratives that they ‘don’t want to work’ are dismissive, condescending and unhelpful in addressing this generational crisis.

Early intervention for poor mental health, that starts at school age, is crucial to helping young people thrive in life and work.

Jenny Smith, our Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer, said:

“This report paints an alarming and accurate picture of the many complex factors affecting young people as they navigate the challenges of the job market. It shows the true, human scale of this generational crisis – and its findings reinforce the need for a range of urgent actions, including early intervention mental health support.

Incredibly competitive market

“The approach to address this crisis cannot be punitive – it must be reflective of the reality that young people want to work but the jobs market is incredibly competitive.

“Going further, we must recognise the importance of work having a point and a purpose. Young people increasingly see things such as home ownership, career stability, and having children as goals out of reach. So, those who are fortunate enough to land a job may still find it isn't enough to support them through the various life milestones that generations before them could expect to reach.

“We also know that dignified, meaningful and fairly-paid work can support good self-confidence and as sense of purpose for young people. However, young people must be well enough to work in the first place.

“Prevention and early intervention are vital. The Government must transform over-stretched mental health services that are under-serving young people – including investing in school based counselling, expanding mental health support teams in schools and hubs to include counselling, and giving extra financial support for university and college counselling services.

Factors damaging youth unemployment

“The Government must also take urgent and meaningful action on holistic factors damaging youth unemployment. These include companies cutting entry-level roles in favour of artificial intelligence (AI) and difficulties in sectors which traditionally offer young people their first taste of work, such as hospitality and retail.

“Resolving some of these wider issues could be part of a successful support approach for young people, alongside therapy.”

The review highlights that teachers and special education needs coordinators (SENCOs) can’t hold the mental health caseload in schools alone.

School, college and university counselling

We’re urging the government to expand its roll out of Mental Health Support Teams in schools in England to include clearly defined support pathways that include counselling and psychotherapy. This can address  the needs of children children who are falling between the gaps in support between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and low-level interventions in school.

University and college counselling services are overstretched and filling a gap in mental health support, where young people are not able to access therapy from NHS services.

We’re calling for these services to receive further financial support from the government so they can give the best possible support to young people in need.

We’ll continue to highlight these calls in briefings and meetings with MPs, partners and other organisations, and respond to consultations and proposals to stress the important role our members have in support better mental health for young people.

We're working in partnership with key campaign groups, such as the Fund the Hubs campaign and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, to continue our drive for greater, sustainable investment in children and young people’s mental health support.

The full report, complete with recommendations, will be published in the Autumn.

Read Young people and work: interim report.