Policy Hub
On 9 April 2009, the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) published a paper which analyses the effect of growing up on welfare on young people's involvement in a variety of social and health risks.
The paper suggests that young people in welfare-supported families are much more likely to take both social and health risks. However, much of the apparent link between family welfare history and risk taking disappears once family structure and mothers’ decisions regarding their own risk taking and investment in their children are taken into account.
The paper finds that socio-economic status is not a significant factor in itself. Overall, no evidence is found to suggest that growing up on welfare causes young people to engage in risky behavior.
Taking chances: the effect of growing up on welfare on the risky behaviour of young people (PDF)