To think there will be many more disabled adults in 20 years?

[Walkyrie]

I’m disabled myself, just to put that out there.

It just seems like the number of people with a disability, usually a psychiatric one, is going through the roof.

40% of disability benefit claimants are claiming for mental health related reasons. The number of anxious children and teens on here, and that I know in my own life and family, is really really high. So many schools refusers and kids in need of extra support, special school placements and so on. It seems there are a lot of unemployed young adults living at home who simply don’t have the mental acuity to get a job, live independently, have a life of their own.

3 children in my family are currently school refusing, one we only found out about today but it was not a surprise as she’s always been very anxious and has selective mutism.

My AIBU is, should we be doing something to prepare for what may be a very high number of adults not working in years to come? How will we sustain them all?

A fair whack of mental health difficulties in adults come from harsh parenting, attachment issues, adverse childhood experiences with Neurodivergent people disproportionately effected.
.parents nowadays try to parent more gently and in neuroaffirming ways instead of beating the autism out of kids like previous generations.

Most psychologists and psychiatrists I know are of the opinion mental health in future generations will improve and more people will meaningfully co tribute to society.

But I bet you're also someone who loves a thread to moan about people not 'disciplining' their kids like your generation did.

Because the parenting of previous generations worked out so well for long term wellbeing.

All the people saying "goady thread"

Look at the vote. 80 20. People have had enough. If you don't recognise how angry people are becoming about the amount spent on this & accept a change is coming, you are in line for a shock.

This may be true… I don't know, but I do know that OPs premise was right that something has to give.

We have the highest tax burden ever , we have more people needing support than making net contributions to the system.
We have had 20 years of wage stagnation, moving from a high wage economy to a low wage economy. We have a cost of living crisis, where millions are struggling to afford to maintain their living standards.
We have an economy that is vulnerable due to vast debt burdens and enormous interest payments to service that (maybe more than Greece).
Reeves has taxed jobs much more, raised min wage, business rates through the roof, utilities costs (which attract tax) are also thought the roof. All of these contribute to the jobs market being decimated.
Unfortunately this will mean a that where employers may take on more staff, they will choose those less ‘risky’ and this will unfortunately mean that those who require additional support or are less experienced will likely lose out.

Asking questions early , establishing root causes and addressing them , and having honest debates about what can be done is long overdue, but the answer cannot always be more tax this and more tax that.

What are you talking about where talking about disabilities not parenting

That's not what people have voted for - they're in agreement with OP about the fact that there will be more disabled adults in 20 years time and about the fact that we need to work out how to provide for their needs.

On the schoolr wfusinh, my sister school refused, she's 40 this year, she'd terrible mental health as a teenager. She's a mental health nurse recently diagnosed as an adult with ADHD working in specialist services and making good money with a family of her own.

My cousin did too, he dropped out actually as a teen, ran away, all sorts of issues, got support, went back to college, by the time he was 30 he'd qualified as a joiner and now runs his own business.

I had selective mutism, I never school refused because I LOVED the learning aspect but I'd loads of social issues, no friends at all for years, but loved to study. Diagnosed with depression at 17, had support through school. Passed all my a levels in the end, went to university, got a professional degree and am 25 years into a sparkling professional career where I earn well and need no medication for mental health, haven't for over 20 years.

Kids struggling. When supported. When believed. May well thrive and become meaningful contributers to society. I knew a lot of kids and teens with a lots of issues, I grew up very poor in a rough area so I know lots of women who had babies as teenagers, dropped out of school. All now, 20 years later, in some kind of employment and having good, productive lives.

Why must we shit on kids who are growing up and figuring things out.

The increase in mental health problems in young people relates, in my view, to our rigid school system.

The crazy thing is the reason there are fewer SEN schools now is parents didn't want them

People used to fight tooth and nail for the child to stay in mainstream school wherever possible because going to SEN school was seen as 'writing them off' or 'othering them'. In the 90's parents were dead against SEN schools, they thought it was shutting disabled kids away out of sight, away from the 'normal' kids.

My relative who was a teacher said at the time it was crazy because the children would have thrived so much more in special schools but their parents really didn't want it

But there is an interesting point in that assumption you've made

The assumption being that immigration wont bring with it more people with needs which mean they cant work

So if thats the case, what is happening in this country but not happening in other countries to cause/contribute/create (put whatever word you want on it) a higher level of disability?

Or, is it a false assumption to make that those coming into the country and their children wouldnt have those needs?

Why is a higher rate of disability not a universal thing? Or is it?

it would be nice to think that as the rates of disability rise, so do the availability of job roles to suit a wider variety of people due to increased understanding and willingness to work but that is probably me being naive. I’m disabled and went from job to job in my 20’s. I wanted to work but couldn’t find anything that I could do. As I turned 30 I began to understand my disability more and my limitations, as well as my strengths. I retrained and now I have my dream job which makes me happy and, most importantly, I can do with almost zero limitations. I adore working. Every case is so individual though.

I have said this over and and over and over again on threads, the whole reason for less provision is because people wanted their kids to be in mainstream and not be seen as different. Inclusivity at all costs

Well this is the cost

Yes there is a simple google search will tell you that. The risk of children being born with disabilities or developmental disorders increases notably when the mother is aged 35 or older, with risks accelerating further after 40. While 35+ is the common marker for advanced maternal age, research shows higher risks for both chromosomal abnormalities (like Down syndrome) and autism spectrum disorder as maternal age rises.Age 35-39 and Above: Mothers 35 and older have a higher percentage of disabled children compared to those in their early 30s, often cited due to higher rates of genetic anomalies, such as chromosome abnormalities, which increase from 1 in 1,250 at age 25 to 1 in 100 at age 40.Autism Risk: Studies suggest a 32% increase in autism risk for mothers aged 35–39, rising to over 75% for those 40–45, compared to mothers in their 20

A lot of people don't seem to grasp that if there is nothing in the pot, there will be no hand outs. Quite simply: Less working people = less hand outs.

There's no point bleating on about more support for non-working people without suggesting how this will be funded.

Maybe a cultural change is needed and instead of diagnosing people as unable to work we could be identifying what work they can actually do so they can contribute to the pot.

It is a universal thing - rates of cancer, diabetes etc and provable disabling conditions are increasing the world over. Mental health conditions and autism are exploding everywhere. Our health system is worse though as are our housing situation and living costs which makes everything worse. And austerity caused enormous harm, when the poorest weren't put through this in other comparable countries.

Why are multiple people on this thread trying to ignore scientific facts that having children later in life increases the risk of disability this isn't something new or made up. Trying to justify your decisions doesn't change scientific fact.

Well it’s not that long ago that a significant proportion of the female population was economically inactive and people keep saying we need to go back to that time so I’m sure the money will be found from somewhere. But what a delightful thread. It’s already extremely hard to qualify for things like PIP but let’s just force disabled people to work (the ones who are “genuinely disabled” 🙄 get a free pass).

Having done a Masters degree in Medical Anthropology this aligns with what I learnt. Mental illness is universal and can be found even in remote, unmodernised societies. The expression of mental illness can be shaped by culture ( in Africa especially it is often given a spiritual/ religious shape and interpretation). But you’ll find it everywhere.

So therefore immigration as such wouldnt be the 'fix' that many people on this thread are claiming.

Are we having a discussion about why disability will increase over the next 20 years and the science behind that or is it just a benefit bashing thread with some ableism thrown in.

The majority of disabled children I know are not born to older parents actually. Statistically yes there is an increased risk but it’s not an inevitability and with autism it seems paternal age would be more of a factor than maternal. There is an increased risk of genetic disorders but many are screened for and most opt for termination. Also what’s the point of bringing it up? Should we ban people from having kids beyond a certain age? As someone pointed out, autism is often hereditary so should we tell neurodivergent people they shouldn’t have children? Also people on this thread are going on about mental health conditions like anxiety and again, that is likely completely unrelated to parental age.

In that case the dreaded immigrants will be paying tax unless they are all deported.

Most disabled people have spent their lives trying to work that one out and are in suitable work where it exists. But as someone else pointed out up thread, there aren't enough jobs for the able bodied as it is, so where will we find a few million extra for the disabled.

Taxes could easily be raised with room to spare - we're not a poor country and with the average person going on 4 holidays a year, 2 of them foreign holidays, I can't see that everyone is struggling as much as the media make out. People did just fine on one foreign holiday a year back in the 80s and all the people going on 6, 7 or 8 could easily put more into the pot at a time when need is exploding. Inheritance tax could go up too. Yes, may people will feel hard done by at not having a holiday every time the schools are off for a long weekend but I think they'll learn to cope. The swedes pay more in taxes and their public services are better.

People always respond ‘goady’ if it’s anything to do with disability or benefits to shutdown conversation and encourage a pile on. It’s a reality, it’s happening now.

So many young ones are just gaming all day, snacking, vaping, no exercise.
I think universal basic income situation will come to pass, especially with AI/lack of jobs. I think it’ll be a very dystopian future.

I seem to recall a massive row breaking out on a thread a couple of months ago because someone used the term 'geriatric pregnancy' (by mistake instead of advanced maternal age), causing loads of offence but in the mix of that was that apparently having a child at 35+ meant having a child at the prime of your life and posters were doubly offended at talk of higher risk of disability/conditions due to that 'geriatric' age.

ND is not hereditary, the current working theory is that its genetic.