“Good Girls” in NEET Situations: Invisible Both at School and in Support Services
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Research Fellow in Sociology, University of Tartu
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Associate Professor of Urban Geography, University of Tartu
The article highlights an overlooked group among NEET youth: high-achieving, well-behaved girls whose vulnerability remains hidden until they suddenly drop out of school.
The problem is that schools and support services often focus on visible learning or behaviour difficulties, while mental health problems, bullying, trauma, and family violence among “good students” go unnoticed. The authors argue that NEET youth should not be treated as a uniform group. Key solutions include earlier detection of hidden distress, stronger school-based mental health and anti-bullying support, more tailored services, and addressing root causes before pushing young people back into education or work.