Family Support During the Transition Out of the Parental Home in Britain, Spain and Norway

This article explores how family support is negotiated for young people either living at home or in the process of leaving home in three European countries: Britain, Spain and Norway. Using qualitative data collected from parents and adult children, I examine what kinds of support are provided, how different strategies of giving and receiving support are adopted, and how young people and parents view the role of the state. Family support emerges as a key factor in facilitating leaving home transitions in all three countries, though the strategies for giving support vary. In particular, greater emphasis is placed on young people learning about responsibility in Britain and Norway, while Spanish families identify more closely with maintaining young people’s material well-being.