£1 Today or £14 Tomorrow? The Moral Case Was Never in Doubt. Now We Have the Economic Case Too.
As schools start the new academic year, it feels like the right time to revisit one report that has really stayed with me.
Back in July, I had the privilege of spending the afternoon at the Palace of Westminster for the launch of Prevention That Pays, a new report from PBE (formerly Pro Bono Economics), commissioned by The Children's Society.
Over the course of my 20-year teaching career, I had a front row seat to the growing challenges surrounding young people's mental health and wellbeing.
As an educator, it was heart breaking to watch.
As a dad and an uncle, it still is.
That's one of the reasons this report stayed with me long after I left Westminster.
There were lots of powerful statistics discussed throughout the afternoon.
But one stopped me in my tracks.
Every £1 invested in early support for young people's mental health and wellbeing has the potential to generate around £14 in economic benefits.
That isn't just another statistic.
It changes the conversation.
For years, many of us working in education have made the moral case for early intervention.
We've seen the difference that trusted relationships, movement, belonging and emotionally available adults can make in a young person's life.
We've also seen what happens when support arrives too late.
None of us needed convincing that prevention matters.
Now we have the economic case as well.
The report estimates that around 2.2 million young people aged 10–17 need some form of mental health support, yet many don't receive it until difficulties have become much more significant.
Closing that gap will require investment. But the report makes something else very clear.
Not investing costs even more.
When young people reach crisis point, the impact isn't only felt by families. Schools feel it. Friends feel it. Health services feel it. Social care feels it and wider communities feel it.
The cost of waiting is enormous.
One message came through loud and clear during the afternoon.
The earlier the intervention, the greater the potential benefit.
That's where RISE Up was designed to make a difference.
We created RISE Up to help schools invest earlier, building cultures where young people experience outstanding relationships, movement for mental wellbeing and practical self-care toolkits before everyday challenges become more complex or reach crisis point.
It's about giving educators the confidence, knowledge and practical strategies to support more young people earlier, creating environments where they feel safe, connected and ready to thrive.
If the report tells us that earlier intervention delivers the greatest social and economic return, then schools have an incredible opportunity to make that investment every single day.
Reading the report, I couldn't help thinking about the schools we've had the privilege of partnering with through RISE Up over the last six years.
The educators who have chosen to invest time in relationships before behaviour.
Movement before disengagement. Connection before consequence.
Those schools aren't simply delivering another wellbeing initiative. They're creating environments where more young people feel safe, connected and ready to thrive.
You can read over 50 case studies from these schools here that are leading the way.
One of the conversations I was most excited to have at Westminster was around strengthening the evidence behind this work.
We're delighted to be building closer links with PBE to help our regional partners evidence not only the educational impact of RISE Up, but its wider social and economic value too.
That matters because we want every school, trust, local authority and funding partner to have confidence that investing in early intervention isn't simply the right thing to do for young people. It's also an investment that creates lasting value for communities.
As a new school year begins, perhaps the question isn't:
Can we afford to invest in early intervention?
Perhaps it's:
Can we afford not to?
The moral case has always been there. Now we have the economic case as well.
Read the Report
I'd really encourage you to read Prevention That Pays. Whether you're a school leader, governor, trust CEO, local authority colleague or policymaker, I think it adds something important to the conversation about how we support young people before they reach crisis.
The earlier we invest, the more lives we can change.
In recent months, it has been fantastic to partner with new organisations in Kent, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Surrey and Sandwell to access funding to help more schools support their young people through our RISE Up Regional Programme.
You can find out more about our Regional RISE Up programmes here, or get in touch to explore what a tailored partnership could look like in your area.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you're exploring how your school, trust or local area can strengthen its approach to early intervention, we'd love to start a conversation.
Step 1: Join the RISE Up Waiting List
Explore partnerships, training, consultancy, speaking opportunities, or request your copy of Time to RISE Up.
It takes just three minutes to map your current provision and identify opportunities to strengthen your approach.
Thank You
Thank you for everything you do to help young people feel safe enough to thrive.
Together, we have an opportunity to intervene earlier, prevent more young people reaching crisis, and create healthier, happier futures.
Neil Moggan and the Future Action team
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