WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
Growing up in the UK today is hard. Experiences in adolescence shape life-long health and it is
a high-risk period for the onset of mental ill-health. We know that family support with emotions
can mitigate many of the challenges teenagers face, but we know less about what helps
families to provide this crucial support. Our research on the ‘Supporting Young Bradford’
project, funded by the Health Foundation, has sought to understand how families’ working lives
affects the support young people experience as they transition into adolescence, expanding
knowledge about protective factors for young people’s mental health. This evidence briefing
outlines what we found and offers recommendations for employers who want to:
- Create supportive work environments for parents and guardians of adolescents
- Increase staff retention and productivity
- Lay the foundations for good mental health and future workforce
WHAT HAVE WE FOUND?
- Parental availability is key
- Women still balancing work and care
- Parental wellbeing matters
- Flexibility enables support and satisfaction
