Snakes and Ladders

Focusing on one particularly deprived area, this study explores how young people from the same place, facing the same limited opportunities and with similar socio-economic backgrounds, follow diverse routes into early adulthood, with strikingly different results. Using in-depth qualitative accounts, the report identifies themes that can be used to understand how young people become adults, looking at: the diversity and complexity of transitions; the influence of the local area; processes of inclusion and exclusion; the influence of the family; employment and the local economy; and crime and drug use. The report concludes with policy recommendations particularly in relation to the Government's new Connexions strategy and service.