The issue of social mobility and how it can be improved continues to be in the headlines. The challenge goes far beyond government, especially in the housing and labour markets.
Today's one-day conference, organised through the Department of Social & Policy Sciences at the Resolution Foundaiton, will offer the latest insights on the topic from a distinguished panel of experts including policy-makers, including Sir Nick Clegg, academics and employer representatives.
It forms part of a series of conferences and seminars funded by the ESRC, 'Child Poverty and Social Mobility: Lessons for Research and Policy’, which is co-ordinated by our Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy.
Speaking in advance, Sir Nick said: "I am delighted to be taking part in this important and timely conference. While the challenge of improving social mobility is now widely recognised, it has still not been met.
“One of the most worrying trends is the way in which a lack of social mobility appears to be linked to where you live geographically as much as familiar links to income and class. That is one of the reasons I was delighted to take up my role as the new chairman of the Social Mobility Foundation, because it was one the few organisations working across the whole of the country, not just parts of it, to improve the lives of thousands of young people.”
Former social mobility commissioner, Professor Paul Gregg of our Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy explained: “Policy makers, when assessing the challenge of social mobility, normally start and finish with education. This conference highlights and discusses the central role that the labour and housing markets play in generating divergent life chances between those born into relative affluence or deprivation.”
Dr Matt Dickson of the Institute for Policy Research, added: “This conference is an opportunity to assess the key social mobility challenges currently facing the UK and consider how barriers to progress can be tackled.
“There is an obvious need for the Government to be engaged in addressing these challenges but there is also a role for employers in the public and private sector, an area that we will explore during this event.”
Read Nick Clegg's comment for The Times Red Box 'Geography should not determine social mobility'
Read Paul Gregg's recent comment for The Conversation 'I resigned from the Social Mobility Commission because of the British government's dismal record'.