Do You Need More Space for Boomerang Children?

According to official statistics, more children are now returning to their parents' home when they've grown up. Often this is due to financial reasons, but the failure of relationships is also to blame. With the increased likelihood of adult children being at home, it might be time to reconsider the layout of your house.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in 2013 over 25% of 20 to 34 year olds were living at home. The main causes of this influx of children returning home are the rise in house prices and the financial climate. This has meant that many of the younger generation are now buying their first home later in life. Some of these are 'boomerang' children, who have previously left the parental home for university or when they form a relationship. However, for financial reasons they are often forced to go back.

The number in this age bracket who now live at home amounts to three million. This is a 25% increase from the figures in 1996. Over the last year the numbers have gone up by 5% (175,000). Young men are more likely than women to move back in with their parents. Within this age group, one third of men compared with one fifth of women are living at home.

Accommodating Grown-up Children

In many cases, the family home wasn't designed to accommodate grown-up children. The living and sleeping space often isn't suitable and this can cause confrontations within the family. If children are going to be moving back for considerable periods of time, you might need to take another look at the layout of the property.

There are areas that can be expanded or improved to allow them to be used by an adult family group. This could include converting the loft into a living space for the child, providing both them and you with some much-needed private space. This can have its own access via a new staircase and it enables them to live a more independent life.

Another option would be to create some outdoor space, either for yourself or your children. Installing a balcony that can be accessed from one of the bedrooms will offer somewhere to enjoy the outdoors away from other members of the family. This can be finished by including a wrought iron railing, a timber handrail or clear balustrades.

There are many ways in which homes can be adapted to suit a family unit, whether or not you have grown-up children living there.