From education to employment

Career Connect Research Reveals High Levels of ADHD Among Young People who are NEET

Jenny Booth

A new study, designed to explore rates of ADHD among young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), has revealed nearly nine out of 10 (88%) participants either have an existing diagnosis or traits of the condition. The research was conducted by charity Career Connect, which supports young people to access education, employment and training opportunities. 

As part of the pilot study, a group of 100 young people (aged 16-24) who are NEET were invited to take part in ADHD screening, using a validated tool. Nearly half (46%) of those involved in the research project already had an existing diagnosis, and of the remainder, 44% screened as being highly likely to have the condition, with 37% showing possible signs of ADHD. 

Girls were substantially more likely than boys to screen for a high likelihood of ADHD and be undiagnosed. Among the girls without an existing diagnosis, the study highlighted as many as three in five (60%) as being highly likely to have the condition, almost double the number of boys without an existing diagnosis, of which there were 32%. Just one in 10 (10%) of the female participants without an existing diagnosis were identified as being unlikely to have ADHD, compared to one in four (25%) of the boys taking part in the study.

Young people living with ADHD can often experience anxiety around meetings with a practitioner, and four in five (80%) of those who screened as being highly likely to have the condition reported that careers appointments made them feel anxious. The duration of appointments was also highlighted as a key concern, with four in five (80%) preferring careers meetings to last no longer than 45 minutes, and the same number favouring more informal meetings, taking place in a private area, rather than an open space. 

Career Connect aims to use this research to enhance its support services for neurodivergent young people and adults in their journey to employment, education and training, while ADHD screening will be introduced across the charity’s other services. The study, which forms part of Career Connect’s Practitioner Research Programme, will also help to raise awareness of the impact of ADHD on young people and how those living with the condition engage with careers services. 

The study was led by Careers Adviser Jenny Booth, who was inspired by her own personal and professional experiences of ADHD. Speaking on why she was keen to examine the prevalence of ADHD among young people who are NEET, Jenny said: “ADHD is within my family, and I had started doing my own reading and research around the subject. As I started to learn more, I quickly realised that there are a lot of preconceptions about what ADHD looks like, and how it impacts on young people’s lives.

“In my day-to-day role, I work with a number of young people who do have an ADHD diagnosis. As I learned more about ADHD, I started to recognise what I thought could be ADHD traits in some of the young people I was working with, but who haven’t been diagnosed as having ADHD. Related conditions can also include anxiety and depression. So, you may see anxiety when what underlies this is ADHD. 

“I’m interested in those who are undiagnosed, particularly young women who may present with anxiety. Wider research tells us that if you have been diagnosed with ADHD as a child or in adolescence, there is an increased risk of not being in education, employment or training as an adult. That should not be the case.”

Gary Mundy, Director of Impact and Research at Career Connect, said: “This research project, identified and carried out by Jenny, a member of our frontline staff, has the potential to make a significant difference to young people with diagnosed or suspected ADHD. The insights we have gained will inform and shape how we deliver our services. 

“By extending opportunities for screening, we hope to help more young people understand ADHD better, and what up to now may have been a barrier to them achieving their goals. While not a clinical diagnosis, having the knowledge that ADHD could be possible or likely, enables young people to take positive action and hopefully achieve improved education, employment and training outcomes – while we can ensure that our services meet their needs. At Career Connect, we encourage and assist our practitioners to design and deliver research that produces evidence to support new approaches and practice, and we hope that this research will make a difference.” 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates the global prevalence of ADHD in children to be around five percent, and in adults in the UK between three to four percent. However, the latest update from the NHS Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Programme states that current data available to NHS England is “likely to significantly underrepresent the number of people seeking, waiting for and with a diagnosis of ADHD”. 

Career Connect regularly carries out research to identify what works when it comes to helping people to progress in careers and in life. The charity, headquartered in Liverpool, works across the UK to empower individuals of all ages to move forward in employment, education or training. As well as delivering careers support in communities to young people who are NEET, Career Connect supports offenders to re-integrate into society through employment, training or education with the aim of stopping the cycle of reoffending. The charity also provides careers services for schools and colleges, alongside training for the next generation of careers advice and guidance professionals. 


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