New research identifies why young adults return to the parental home

New research undertaken by researchers from the ESRC Centre for Population Change (CPC) at the University of Southampton has found that turning-points in young adults' lives, such as leaving full-time education, unemployment or a relationship break-up, are significant in whether or not they return to the parental home.

The idea of a generation of young adults 'boomeranging' back to the parental home has recently gained widespread currency in the British press, and these findings aim to clarify this trend, examining the factors that contribute to the decision.

Researchers Dr Juliet Stone, Professor Ann Berrington and Professor Jane Falkingham used the long-running British Household Panel Survey to show how major changes in a young adults' life contribute to their decision to return to the 'safety-net' of the parental home.

With the labour market becoming more unpredictable, there are no guarantees of employment for graduates, so for many young adults completing full-time education, it has become commonplace to return home.

Relationship break-ups are another main reason that people return home in young adulthood. Crucially, though, the decision may depend on the young person's gender and whether or not they have dependent children. After a break-up, mothers and fathers may find support from different sources, with young lone mothers being more able to rely on the welfare state, and young, single, non-resident fathers requiring more support from their own parent(s).

Importantly, the reasons a young person left the parental home in the first place can be a good predictor of their likelihood of returning. The recent trend to form relationships later in life, and the growing popularity of higher education, has meant that women have become more similar to men in their destinations on leaving home and in the likelihood of returning home.

"Finishing full-time education continues to be a major reason for returning to the parental home, to the extent that this is now considered normal for young adults in their early twenties," says Professor Berrington. "This is particularly striking in the current British context of recession, increased university tuition fees and rising student debt.

Added to this, welfare systems can affect residential independence for men and women differently. In Great Britain, access to social housing and assistance through the welfare state means, for example, a young, lone mother would be able to maintain independence, where a young, single non-residential father would require more assistance from his own family."

The full research findings are published in the journal Demography.

Listen to Prof. Ann Berrington's podcast What makes a boomeranger? Moving back in with mum and dad.

Further information on the project can be found on the project page of the CPC website.

Posted 11/11/2013 14:16