This report provides a detailed picture of the processes that shape 'poor transitions'. The authors argue that understanding social exclusion and devising effective policies to reduce it requires immersion in the experiences of the socially excluded. Specifically, the report charts the longer-term transitions and outcomes of young adults who had grown up in a context of social exclusion as they reached their mid- to late-twenties; aids understanding of the key influences on social inclusion and exclusion for this age group; examines the young adults' extended participation in education, training and employment, their experiences of family life, and criminal and drug-using careers and draws out the implications for policy and practice interventions. Poor transitions is aimed at academics, policy makers, practitioners and general readers interested in an in-depth account of the biographical experiences of the socially excluded.