Continuity and Change in Pathways to Young Adult Disadvantage

John Hobcraft, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

This paper uses the rich information collected in the British National Child Development Study, a longitudinal birth cohort of children born in 1958. The focus is upon pathways to disadvantage in early adulthood (up to age 33) and examines parental and childhood antecedents of disadvantage, as well as exploring in some detail the routes through late adolescent experiences, status at age 23 and mediating factors between ages 23 and 33. The main outcomes considered are low income, receipt of welfare benefits, living in social housing, low status occupational class, mental health, and physical health. The key roles of early demographic and employment behavior in determining disadvantage are emphasized. The lasting influences of parental background and childhood circumstances are also explored.