Growing up socially isolated linked to young people becoming Neet

According to The Conversation, a new longitudinal study of over two thousand British children found that those who were socially isolated at age twelve were up to two point four times more likely to be classified as NEET— not in education, employment or training—by age eighteen. The researchers say this link was stronger than other known risk factors such as childhood mental health difficulties or socioeconomic background. The study suggests that simply feeling lonely does not help children reconnect, so policies aimed at improving youth employment should also focus on fostering peer connections early on.

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