More than one in ten children are starting school without the social skills they need to benefit from education, according to a study released today.
Researchers warned that thousands of five-year-olds are 'nursery NEETs' because they are already significantly more likely to drop out of school in later years.
The findings emerged on the day the Government publishes latest figures for the number of adult 'NEETs' – young people who are 'not in education, employment or training'.
Some young children are showing the same behaviour problems as older NEETs, such as difficulty making friends and behaving in class, according to the study, published by the think-tank Demos.
'One in ten children lack the tools to benefit from education before they even get to the school gate**,'** said author Sonia Sodha.
The study found that 11.5 per cent of 15,000 children are starting school without the behavioural skills they need to learn or get on with their classmates.
The youngsters scored 'borderline' or 'abnormal' in a pre-school assessment, meaning they are likely to exhibit behaviour problems, mental health disorders, difficulty making friends and hyperactivity.
These behaviour patterns are strongly linked tounder-achievement at school, truancy and even expulsion, according to the study.
A quarter of truants at age 16 go on to be recorded as NEET, and a similar proportion of those who get no GCSEs.
Thereport called for universal screening of youngsters at six months, age one, age two, age three and age five for developmental delays and behaviour problems.
Measures to tackle poor parenting and help struggling families should be be targeted at the youngest children, it said.
These could include financial incentives for parents to complete parenting courses.
The study said parenting styles were closely linked to later success at school.
A previous Demos report had shown that high levels of warmth between parent and child, combined with consistent enforcement of rules, were most likely to lead to children doing well.
That report said children do better at school if they enjoy 'positive and warm interactions' with their parents – such as family meals and trips out.
Ms Sodha added: 'At the moment we tackle the NEET problem with jobs and post-16 training, but we are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.'
Shaks Ghosh, chief executive of the Private Equity Foundation, which supported the study, said: **'**Early intervention is not about branding children before they have even started school – it is about dealing with any emotional issues, family problems, literacy and numeracy before it's too late.
"We must avoid the young people of tomorrow becoming the NEET statistics of the future."
Source: Daily Mail – http://tinyurl.com/ycosj5k
