26.04.18
Children’s mental health support could deliver £25.9m economy boost
Early mental health interventions in primary schools could generate “significant economic benefits”, according to an independent analysis.
The study, by charity Pro Bono Economics, found that for every £1 invested in the mental health of primary school pupils, there is a potential societal return of £6.20 through higher employment rates and earnings, as well as reduced rates of school truancy and exclusion, smoking, depression and crime.
Across 251 primary schools, covering 4,548 children who had received one-to-one mental health support from charity Place2Be councillors, £4.2m was invested in the school year 2016-17, which could deliver a societal return of £25.9m by improving children’s long-term outcome.
Over a third of this represents government savings through increased tax revenue and reduced spending on public services like health and the criminal justice system.
The analysis conservatively allowed for the possibilities that 50% of the improvement in a young person’s mental health would have occurred anyway, since some children will recover without counselling support, or that their recovery might not be sustained over time.
Last month the Care Quality Commission criticised local and central government for children’s mental health measures, saying there is a “crisis point”.
Andy Haldane, chief economist at the Bank of England and co-founder and trustee at Pro Bono Economics, explained that without effective intervention, a mental health condition can have a significant impact on the life of a child or young person, as well as resulting in significant long-term costs.
“These costs arise from a range of adverse outcomes for the individual, such as reduced earnings and increased government spending on education, social care, and youth and criminal justice,” he said.
“The analysis in this report is intended to contribute to increased understanding of the value of this type of intervention in primary schools and to help support commissioning decisions,” he added.
Catherine Roche, chief executive of Place2Be, said: “This incredibly helpful new economic analysis underlines what our own data and experience have shown us – that providing mental health support at the earliest possible stage is vital to giving children brighter prospects for the future and ensuring that problems don’t become more complex and entrenched.”
She concluded: “According to research commissioned by the Department for Education, only 56% of primary schools offer counselling services, compared to 84% of secondary schools.
“More than nine in ten (93%) of all schools providing counselling services use their own budget to fund this provision.”
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