Really interesting report on NEETs. What do you think happens next?

[SomedayIllBeSaturdayNight]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/23/uk-young-people-workplace-anxiety-alan-milburn

Such an interesting report by Alan Millburn in why the UK has so many young NEETs.

' “[Young people] are different, not worse, not lazier, not less intelligent. They have grown up in a digital world that has rewired how they communicate, form relationships and manage stress. They have fewer experiences of workplaces and they present with higher levels of anxiety and depression.”

Does this ring true to you? And what are the next few years going to look like?

I personally can't see any reason for the government not to ban social media for under 16s in this context.

SEN support is an education term and not a medical one so its not about diagnosis (and whilst ehcps have rusen as a proprtion of sen, the overall fugure hasnt shifted much). Its very hard to compare countries as the education systems vary a lot so what woukd be special here is actually standard offer elsewhere.

I think like with transgender we are reaching a tide turning moment.

You probably were, as they are counted quarterly.

Actually they both grew up in a family with no smart phones. They have them now as adults but didn’t when at school.

My dc are ASD, have smart phones, all school refused and ended up being home educated because of the pressure, narrow expectations and pressure put upon them in school. All young adults now and working full time.

Perhaps your preconceived notions are not indicative of the whole growing problem.

You clearly do not understand.

Really sick of people making massive assumptions that just serve to demonise parents and halt any progress made to help these young people live better lives.
It’s always the same sort of judgemental wankers.
Walk a mile and all that. Or shut up.

Some children have learning difficulties. These aren't acknowledged. A boy I know had a reading age of 7 in year 10 and the school were still saying he was fine.

ASD is known to have difficulty with social interactions as a hallmark. Eye contact is part of that. I taught DD2 eye contact by rote when she was 4. She wasn't acknowledged as having ASD symptoms until 9, and diagnosed at 11. When she was 4, I used to walk her to school and I'd say "We look at the lollipop lady, we smile, then we can look away again."

Autism and ADHD together can be a real issue. DD2 has just started ADHD medication and the difference it is making is amazing. Today, she's been outside in the sunshine, helping me with some DIY (she hates the sun, so usually would be hiding), offering to get me drinks, watering plants without being asked... You really can't imagine how different it is to 3 days ago, when even asking her to do a small task was like asking her to climb a mountain. ADHD isn't 'a little bit mad, me!', 'oh I'm so forgetful!' stuff. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain.

All those children who have ADHD have deficiencies in their dopamine receptors, which means their brains aren't getting enough fuel to help them learn, concentrate, organise themselves, etc. That means they aren't learning as well as their peers, so they fall behind.

80% of UK secondary schools and a growing number of primaries are academies. Whilst not all meet the Michaela standards of authoritarianism (which admittedly suits some children), there is an increase in narrower curriculums, growing inflexibility and far more pressure on our children than there was 20+ years ago. With it we’re seeing an increase in SN rates (connected or not, I don’t know, but school methods/environments were a definite factor in my own dc’s failure to thrive), and I do wonder how far we need to go before changes are made.

It’s very easy for posters here to blame parents, but at the end of the day much of this is lazy propaganda that allows the government to avoid the real issues preventing many children from learning. Don’t get me started on the whole Gemma Collins DfE fiasco hmm

It’s the outlet of people who don’t actually want to see change. They just want to moan about x,y,z , express their own frustration to what they THINK is wrong with the world and refuse to look at anything that doesn’t suit their agenda. Just like the government really. Which is why nothing ever changes (for the better) and we get goals like inclusion for all and all kids being above average in maths.

TLDR; Soundbites with no substance .

What benefit payment did they get in 1970 - I would guess maybe unemployment benefit only

I know. It’s so depressing. We can’t have any change because those who spout their nonsense are often those with the loudest mouths and are able to be in positions of authority - they haven’t had to give up their lives to care for disabled children so ironically have more input in how our children are educated. No wonder it’s gone to shit!

I have a theory that parents of disabled children could do a far better job of changing education and creating an environment where everyone can do better.

Difficult to come up with solutions without spending more money

The ‘anxious’ moniker is annoying enough to switch off. The dc are impacted by anti job Labour policies. The politicians should look at that rather than trying to pass the buck.

I’m not speaking re dc here but generally.

There are loads of things that schools could change very quickly that wouldn’t cost a penny.

Schools are resistant though because they must tick OFSTED boxes, and parents of non-disabled children tend not to like changes that help disabled kids even when the school lives of their own children will at worst be unchanged or at best made better because everyone’s doing better.

I think there are a lot less jobs that don't require qualifications.
I think lower paid jobs aren't paid a living wage, especially not for those with kids or adult dependents.
Technology is taking over previously low skilled jobs
Low skilled tasks are lumped in to higher skilled roles
Workplaces haven't got as much time for training
Schools are catering much more for those children who will be getting the higher qualifications

For SOME children or adults, this will move them to try harder and do better and upskill to become more productive in the workplace, but for many they will become NEET, because either they don't have the brains to do what workplaces require, or because they can't find places that want to employ them.

I suppose I was a NEET for a brief period after university in 2009 before I found work. I think once a young adult gets into the "basement dweller" lifestyle it can become ingrained and I think the isolation you then feel from mainstream society makes it harder to find ways out.

I don't think that the job market is a good fit for a lot of people. I remember a while back their was a thread about very performative recruitment processes for menial jobs. It didn't fill me with much hope for a lot of these NEETs, I'd struggle. Did one application last year involving filming myself on a webcam talking for 2 minutes and thought never again.

If you don’t mind, can I pick your brain on what some of those things are?

I would love to see a comparison between countries with lower level of NEETs and the benefits support available in those countries. I strongly suspect that lower benefits correlates with fewer NEETs. Give some people an option to do nothing and they’ll take it.

The Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of NEETs . Alongside Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. Easy google, no need to (wrongly) assume.

The highest rates are in the Middle East, North Africa and subsaharan Africa. Not exactly areas known for their bountiful benefits. Once again, why let facts get in the way of prejudice.

Yes, because sub Saharan African countries are the natural comparitors 🙄

I started work aged 14 (Saturday job in a shop.) My 14 year old daughter really needs to learn the importance of punctuality, doing as a boss says, having to do something rather than wanting to do something, not getting money for nothing. She needs to learn these things now while her brain is still forming, not when she’s 18 and it’s too late. We have done kids a massive disservice by reducing the opportunity for paid work aged 14-16.
She fills the gap by hanging round town - something I never had the opportunity to do because I was working.

What do you think your role is in teaching her eg. punctuality, as her parent?

has anyone come up with an idea for a solution?
as soon as someone suggests cutting benefits someone else posts how their child has x, y, z disabilities and needs more support if anything
a bit like the Gov suggests one thing and the daily mail has screaming headlines about the dire consequences

I’m sure it needs a myriad of different things but surely someone can suggest ideas without being shot down in flames

Yep. Remove the benefits for under 25s and watch this problem rapidly shrink. There will always be NEETs, but I want to see us in line with comparable countries.

Without putting any of the work in or the policies in place that other countries have? How do you think that’s going to work?