Title page 1

Contents 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4

SUMMARY 5

1. INTRODUCTION 7

1.1. METHODS 8

2. THE FOUNDATIONS OF A GOOD ADOLESCENCE HAVE ERODED 9

2.1. AN ALTERED STATE OF ADOLESCENCE 9

2.2. A STATE OF DISTRESS 14

2.3. REBUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF A GOOD ADOLESCENCE 15

3. TRANSITIONS TO ADULTHOOD ARE BLOCKED 16

3.1. THE POST-SCHOOL LANDSCAPE IS FRACTURED 16

3.2. WORK IS HARDER TO FIND 17

3.3. HOUSING CHOICES ARE LIMITED 17

3.4. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DENIED A STAKE IN OUR SOCIETY 19

4. A DISCONNECTED GENERATION 20

4.1. DISCONNECTED FROM THEMSELVES 20

4.2. DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER 21

4.3. DISCONNECTED FROM WIDER SOCIETY 22

4.4. A NEW SETTLEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED 23

REFERENCES 24

FIGURE 2.1. Young people have fewer close friends than a decade ago 11

FIGURE 2.2. In 2023-25, 5 per cent of young people reported having no close friends at all 11

FIGURE 2.3. The proportion of young people who are satisfied with their friends has fallen 12

FIGURE 2.4. The proportion of young people experiencing psychological distress has increased rapidly since 2016-18 14

FIGURE 2.5. The proportion of young people whose mental health meant they accomplished less in the past four weeks has quadrupled... 15

FIGURE 3.1. Nearly one in five of 20-29-year-olds renting privately spend more than 50 per cent of their net income on rent 18