The extent to which disadvantage is transmitted across generations and the design of policies to improve life chances have long been of central policy concern. The considerable persistence across generations of incomes, poverty and social class has been very thoroughly documented; however, understanding the mechanisms through which such persistence occurs, and designing effective policy responses, continues to present an ongoing challenge.

The aim of this project is to examine the mechanisms through which parents' social class influences the outcomes of their teenage children, and to discuss the possible policy levers through which the impact of these factors may be mitigated. In particular, we will consider the roles of attitudes, expectations and behaviours of parents and children, material resources, and peer effects at school and neighbourhood levels as potential transmission mechanisms.

This project makes use of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE or "Next Steps") - a new survey following approximately 15,000 individuals aged 13/14 in 2003-04 until their early 20s. This work builds on one element of a project investigating the transmission of skills and attitudes to education across generations funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (see here for more details).