King’s College London research found the most isolated 12-year-olds had more than twice the odds of being Neet – not in employment, education or training – by the age of 18
Children who spend break time alone or are not picked for teams in early years at secondary school are at higher risk of being Neets when they turn 18, a new study has revealed.
King’s College London research found the most isolated 12-year-olds had more than twice the odds of being Neet – not in employment, education or training – by the age of 18.
They found that children who were isolated and lonely at age 12 remained just as isolated at 18 as children who were isolated but not lonely. Social isolation was defined for the study as lacking positive social relationships or having social networks but few social interactions.
It comes just months after a damning report earlier this year by the former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn warned that without action on the issue there could be a £125billion hit to the economy. He is set to publish his recommendations on tackling the crisis in the autumn.
New PM Andy Burnham has vowed to tackle the Neet crisis, and this week unveiled new technical education routes to 14-year-olds to tackle the issue.
Those behind the study said that addressing isolation in early adolescence could help young people and lead to wider economic benefits through increased productivity.
Dr Bridget Bryan, lead author and research fellow at King’s College London, said: “Our findings show the lasting consequences of social isolation on young people’s employment prospects, likely driven by its impact on the social skills, education and mental health young people need to navigate the job market.
“Given the concern about growing Neet rates, these findings suggest that tackling childhood social isolation could be a valuable lever for improving young people’s life chances and job prospects.”
Dr Timothy Matthews, co-author and lecturer in psychology at the University of Greenwich, said: “For a long time, it’s been assumed that loneliness pushes people to reconnect, but our findings suggest that isn’t happening for the young people who need it most.
“Instead, loneliness and isolation can become a self-reinforcing cycle, where being cut off from others feeds feelings of loneliness, which in turn make it harder to reconnect.”