Understanding young adult’s housing transitions in Scotland: A social network analysis

Abstract

In increasingly deregulated housing markets in which homeownership is promoted and social rent is becoming ‘marginalised’, young people will have to navigate housing in alternative ways. Here differences in parental support (see Whelan, 2017) ethnic background, and level of education are among the factors that can influence the housing trajectories of young people. Also, local social networks and knowledge about the housing market and neighbourhoods (see Brown & Moore, 1970) can be of importance in gaining access to housing. Social capital in its various forms and contexts has emerged as one of the most salient forms of capital (Bourdieu, 1986). Despite this, little research has explored how the support networks of young adults are structured or composed, and thus, where support may be lacking. This study seeks to understand how young adults utilise social capital in their housing support networks, the barriers to this support and how this intersects with class and tenure. This thesis uses an egocentric network approach to construct the housing support networks of young adults, and an interpretivist approach to qualitative data analysis in order to identify the variety of ways in which young adults navigate their housing transitions. The findings described the support networks of 42 young adults living in Scotland and revealed that family members were the biggest support to young adults, and in particular, parents provided the most support. However, class-based values, identities and social practices in young adults’ housing support networks can play a role in entrenching the unequal life chances of disadvantaged young adults. Young adults discussed how social housing providers were a key source of information, services and material goods, but this was not available to young adults living in all tenures. Additionally, patterns of housing support emerged through network and qualitative analysis, which formed the basis for developing a typology of housing support networks for young adults. Young adults who accessed housing support from outwith their close family ties were more likely to access knowledge and information to enable their housing transition. In relation to housing aspirations, this thesis found that resource transfers and the within family socialisation of housing preferences are closely interconnected. Together, these findings inform policy and practice, by identifying gaps in housing support and factors that contribute to better housing transitions for young adults.