Snakes and Ladders : Young People, Transitions and Social Exclusion

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.