Learning Brief – No learning without well-being: Why mental health matters in post-school education and training

Mental health is shaped from before birth onward by a constellation of socio-economic factors, including poverty and inequality. In South Africa, where nearly 70% of children live below the upper-bound poverty line of R55 a day, poverty results not only in unmet needs but in sustained deprivation affecting mental health. International research shows that children from families with higher incomes often do better in areas like language development, self-control and socio-emotional skills, which can help manage stress and serve as a buffer against anxiety and depression.