Supporting child mental health delivers dividends
Helping employees to support their children’s mental health can be good for business, in both the short and long term.
As every parent knows, worry is part of the job description and poor mental health can be a focus for many families.
Research commissioned by the accountancy firm, Deloitte, shows that
46% of parents are concerned about their child’s mental health
half of these parents admit this impacts their performance at work. 1
Biggest worry
More than a quarter (29%) named a child’s mental health as the biggest worry and one in a hundred parents who have left their job said this was entirely down to the mental health and wellbeing of a child.
Sarah Hughes, CEO of the charity Mind says,
“Deloitte’s research has found that parents who are concerned for their child’s mental health found themselves struggling to do their best at work, perpetuating a cycle of stress both in their home life and in their working life.” 2
And anxiety escalates as children approach puberty and go through adolescence, and are more vulnerable to mental health problems. Anorexia, for instance, peaks between the ages of 15 and 19, but the most severe and prolonged symptoms are associated with earlier onset. 3
Early onset
Similarly, body dysmorphic disorder commonly begins at around 12 or 13.
Two-thirds of people with the disorder develop symptoms before the age of 18.4
YouGov polling commissioned by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health found that:
More than two-thirds (68%) of parents with children aged 9 to 18 were concerned about their mental health.5
Six in ten parents reported that this had negatively impacted their own mental health
and almost half (48%) acknowledged that it had undermined their performance at work.
Distraction
Children’s mental health can have consequences for business on multiple levels. Parents may be taking time off to deal with crises, or trying to deal with the distraction of phone calls or texts from schools, caregivers or children in distress.
Dr Rebecca Rohrer, Medical Director, Bupa UK Insurance, says
“If parents are losing sleep — and many will be — this can make it more difficult to focus and concentrate on tasks at work, and also undermine their own physical and emotional wellbeing.”
“It’s also important to remember that these children and young people will soon be entering the workforce themselves.”
“Early intervention to address any mental health concerns, and embedding positive habits, can ensure they are better prepared for the world of work — and equipped to deal with the challenges this may throw at them.”
Long-term costs
There are also wider benefits to society. A report by the London School of Economics warns,
“For difficulties emerging in childhood in particular, the long-term costs are considerable. This is because poor mental health in children and young people is associated with an increased risk of a range of adverse outcomes in adulthood, including unemployment, addiction difficulties, mental health related hospital admissions and criminal justice contact.” 6
the authors calculate that by the time they reach 50, the average income of people who experience psychological problems in childhood is reduced by up to 28%.
However, investing in parenting programmes for families with children at risk of poor mental health can deliver savings of £15.80 for every £1 spent.7
Return on investment
The World Health Organisation estimates that the treatment .and support of mental health issues delivers a four-fold return8. While analysis by Deloitte shows that early intervention delivers the biggest benefits. 9
Looking at working parents specifically, they calculate that worries about the mental health of their children costs employers £8 billion — and that’s on top of the £51 billion annual bill for poor mental health across the workforce.
In a competitive jobs market, supporting the mental health of employees and their children will also give organisations taking a proactive approach an edge in the competition to recruit and retain talent.
Research from MindForward Alliance found that 78% of parents who were worried about the mental health of a child were aged from 35 to 54 — which suggests these are team members who are already in senior roles, or likely to be stepping up to business-critical positions.10
Dr Rebecca Rohrer continues to say,
“We know that early intervention and support can make a huge difference, and Bupa can provide evidence-based digital tools and resources that parents, and their children, can access at their convenience.”
Explore our guides and resources
Manager’s Guide:
Supporting employees with their children’s mental health
The stress and worry we feel when a loved one is suffering can spill into our lives and make the pressures of work difficult. Learn more in our manager’s guide.
Caregivers toolkit:
Looking after a young person’s mental health
If you’re looking to better support your child’s wellbeing, we offer guidance and support for your loved one, and yourself in our helpful guide.
Supporting young people’s mental health
When it comes to mental health, it takes all of us to make a difference. Parents, young people, managers, businesses and healthcare providers.
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8416938
4 https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/body-dysmorphic-disorder
5 https://www.morganstanley.com/articles/childrens-mental-health-effect-on-parents
8 https://www.hse-network.com/the-mental-health-roi-why-investing-in-employee-well-being-pays-off/
