Luciana Berger: New research will provide a “better understanding than ever before” of rising mental health problems among young people

We’re pleased to announce Luciana Berger as the Chair of our new independent Mental Health Advisory Group, which will guide the direction of groundbreaking new research on youth mental health in England.

Clinicians, leading academics, and policy stakeholders have been brought together, alongside the former Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health, to steer our new research, which is being carried out in partnership with the University of Manchester and UCL. The research explores the factors driving the increase in poor mental health among 14-to 24-year-olds in England.

Youth unemployment can be both a cause and a consequence of poor mental health. In August, we published survey findings from the Youth Employment 2024 Outlook report which found that 85% of young people who report having a mental health condition believe it affects their ability to either find work, or to function in a professional environment.

Research by the Resolution Foundation shows that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds not working due to ill health has more than doubled, from 93,000 in 2013 to 190,000 in 2023.

Previous efforts to understand the causes of young people’s declining mental health have often focused on examining drivers in isolation and many competing theories have been suggested. By presenting current trends in national data, examining which groups are most affected, and through critically mapping the current body of literature, the aim is to evaluate the key theories and identify gaps to inform future research.

As the first of its kind for England, the research will provide a better understanding than ever before of why mental health problems among young people are on the rise.

Luciana Berger, Chair of Youth Futures Foundation’s Mental Health Advisory Group, comments:

“Youth Futures Foundation’s new research will give us a better understanding than ever before of the factors driving the rise in poor mental health among young people in our country. I hope the findings will support policymakers to implement the most impactful change.

 

“I am delighted to be joining an incredible group of experts to help steer this work, which will be essential to determine how every young person can best be supported to thrive.”

Barry Fletcher, CEO at Youth Futures Foundation, comments:

“Youth unemployment can be both a cause and a consequence of poor mental health, so we can’t develop solutions to these challenges in isolation. The rapid rise in mental health conditions among young people is one of the most critical issues we face and our research will help shine a light on this growing problem.

 

“The advisory group gives us phenomenal knowledge to draw upon and I am pleased that with its support, we can delve more deeply into the evidence and investigate the complex factors at play.” 

Dr Matthias Pierce, Project Lead, University of Manchester

“Many indicators suggest that young people’s mental health has been declining, with young people now considerably more likely than previous generations to report mental health problems. This is impacting individuals, their families, and society – a concern that is not unique to the UK but observed across many Western countries.

 

“To halt this decline, we must first understand its underlying causes. I am pleased to be working with the advisory group to assess the current evidence, identify gaps in our knowledge, and contribute towards addressing one of the most pressing public health issues of our time.”

The advisory group has been established to guide the direction of the work throughout the project and provide a sounding board to the research team.

Youth Futures Foundation’s Mental Health Advisory Group

• Luciana Berger, Former Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health (Chair)
• Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director of Policy, Centre for Mental Health, Trustee for Race on the Agenda & Member of the NHS Race and Health Observatory Mental Health Working Group
• Dr Rachel Bradley, Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Chair of the Faculty for Children, Young People and their Families, Division of Clinical Psychology, British Psychological Society
• Professor Jessica Deighton, Director of the Evidence Based Practice Unit, UCL and Anna Freud
• Dr Lucy Foulkes, Research Fellow in Psychology, University of Oxford
• Olly Parker, Head of External Affairs, YoungMinds
• Charlotte Rainer, Coalition Manager, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition

The final report is expected in summer 2025.