Lost Boys: Why the CSJ Boyhood report demands action – and why the North East must lead the change
The Centre for Social Justice’s latest report, Lost Boys: Boyhood, is a powerful and timely contribution to a national conversation that has been growing louder in recent years: boys are falling behind early, consistently, and with lifelong consequences.
For Schools North East, this issue is not new. We have long highlighted the deepening challenges facing boys across the North East, and we continue to bring national experts into our discussions.
Most recently, Dr Alex Blower, Founder of Boys’ Impact and author of Lost Boys: How Education is Failing Young Working-Class Men, spoke to at our Advisory Board meeting last Thursday; and Andy Cook, CEO of the Centre for Social Justice (the organisation behind this critical report noted) delivered a compelling session at our Summit 2025.
The CSJ report adds urgent clarity and evidence to what many school leaders are seeing every day. As Chris Zarraga, Schools North East Director, said: “If we fail to address the widening gaps in early boyhood, we are locking too many of our young men into a lifetime of disadvantage before they’ve even had a chance to begin.”
Why this report matters
The Lost Boys: Boyhood report forms part of the CSJ’s wider programme examining the early challenges faced by boys aged 0–12. It focuses on a crucial stage of development: one where emerging gaps can shape educational, social, and emotional outcomes for life.
The central message is stark: boys “start behind and stay behind.” This is not a short-term developmental blip. The evidence shows a pattern of entrenched disadvantage that begins in the earliest years of life.
For the North East (where data shows consistently higher levels of early disadvantage) this report lands with particular relevance. It strengthens the case for targeted, regionally focused solutions, something Schools North East continues to champion.
Key Findings: Early gaps with long-lasting consequences
The report makes clear that boys begin falling behind from the very earliest stages of development, with gaps in cognitive and socio-emotional skills evident before age two and strongly predicting long-term outcomes. Children in the lowest developmental quartile at just 22 months are almost twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications, and those who are behind by age 10 are fourteen times more likely to reach adulthood without any formal attainment.
Family structure emerges as a significant influence: children growing up in lone-parent households show markedly higher levels of externalising behaviour even when socioeconomic factors are accounted for, and early father absence is shown to heighten the risks of depression, behavioural difficulties, and lower educational achievement, with effects that are particularly pronounced for boys.
These developmental and relational vulnerabilities are compounded by systemic issues in children’s environments and schooling. The report highlights that reduced opportunities for outdoor play and physical activity have a bigger detrimental effect on boys, despite strong evidence that they regulate their behaviour and concentrate better when learning outdoors.
At the same time, high exposure to screens and widespread mobile phone use in primary years are associated with lower attention and poorer wellbeing. Boys’ lower engagement with reading and less motivation towards current curriculum texts further contribute to early vocabulary gaps that can widen significantly by age five.
Together, these findings present a compelling picture of how early disadvantage accumulates and becomes harder to close, echoing the lived experience of many educators across the North East.
Recommendations: What needs to change
The CSJ report sets out a broad and ambitious package of policy changes across families, early education, and technology, many of which have significant implications for the North East. It calls for strengthened family stability through measures such as front-loaded child benefits, a transferable tax allowance for married couples, compulsory joint birth registration, and father-focused training within Family Hubs.
In early years and primary education, the report advocates for more outdoor learning and increased physical activity, a reduction in homework in favour of play, curriculum adjustments that better capture boys’ interests, and expanded reading support, including reading mentors for children with absent fathers. These align closely with the priorities consistently raised by North East school leaders, particularly around vocabulary development and early literacy.
The report also urges a fundamental rethink of children’s digital environment, recommending a no-smartphones policy in primary schools, the removal of pupil-use screens in classrooms, and stronger regulation of online content—from age verification to tighter oversight of AI-generated material.
What this means for the North East
The report underscores that the challenges facing boys are not isolated incidents; they are systemic, developmental, and enduring. Our region, with its long-standing inequalities and acute pressures on families, is disproportionately affected.
That’s why Schools North East is committed to keeping boys’ outcomes firmly on the national agenda. From hosting leading voices like Dr Alex Blower and Andy Cook, to amplifying the experiences of our schools, we will continue advocating for solutions that reflect the realities of North East communities.
As Chris Zarraga reminds us: “The earlier we act, the better the outcomes—not just for boys, but for the cohesion and prosperity of our entire region.”
A call for collaborative action
The Lost Boys: Boyhood report is not simply a warning; it is an opportunity. It offers practical, evidence-based recommendations that can reshape early childhood for boys across the country. But the impact will only be felt if policymakers, educators, families, and communities work together.
Our message is clear: the North East is ready to lead. Now we need the national commitment and investment to match the scale of the challenge.
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As schools and trusts continue to navigate persistent challenges (particularly around inequality and disadvantage), this year’s Schools North East Academies Conference offers space to step back, engage with evidence-informed practice, and reflect on the leadership choices shaping the future of our region’s children and communities. Learn more and book here.