Help shape the Age 31 Sweep of Next Steps

CLS is seeking input on the scientific content of the Age 31 Sweep of Next Steps, a longitudinal cohort study following 16,000 people born in England in 1989-1990.

The early 30s marks a shift to the next stage of adulthood, when many people settle into their life paths. It is a decade of big changes, like buying a house, moving in with a partner, having children or making a big career move.

However, pathways to adulthood have also grown more varied and complex for the Next Steps generation. For example, rather than making straightforward transitions from education to work, and to independent living and family formation, this millennial generation is more likely to oscillate between education and work, between living at home and independently, and may delay family formation as a result.

CLS is seeking input from researchers, policy makers, practitioners, or anyone with an interest in this generation on what we should ask cohort members about their:

Labour market experiences, education, income and assets: including economic activity, income, wealth, savings, debts, benefits, assets and housing, future plans, job satisfaction, job security, working conditions, autonomy measures, educational attainment, intergenerational social and income mobility, housing tenure, living conditions and housing aspirations.

Health and wellbeing: including general and physical health, risk taking behaviours (alcohol, drugs, smoking, vaping), exercise, diet, health conditions, mental health, wellbeing, loneliness, trust, and resilience.

Cognitive and non-cognitive skills: including adult skills, maths, financial literacy, verbal reasoning etc. (cognitive skills) and motivation, decision-making, logic, reasoning, flexibility, communication and likability (non-cognitive skills).

Politics, identity and social participation: including ethnic/gender/religious/political identities, self-efficacy, civic participation and engagement, social cohesion, trust, voting preference and behaviour.

Relationships, families and intra-household dynamics: including relationship quality, relationship histories, assortative mating, cohabitation, duration, financial arrangements, parent and sibling relationships, children and childcare, fertility preferences and experiences (miscarriage, IVF, adoption, abortion), parenting practices and school choices.

Sweep now in development

Following our online consultation (16 October 2019 – 11 December 2019) and consultative conference (14 January 2020), the Age 31 Sweep is now in development. To find out more about the scientific priorities and for information on how we conducted the online consultation, please visit the Age 31 Sweep page.