Interrupted Lives: A Study of Women Returners

Abstract

This chapter looks at the life histories of approximately 100 women all of whom attended special courses for women seeking a return to paid employment during the period 1982 to 1984. Many recent studies have looked at women’s life cycles and work histories. These include two large-scale surveys (Dex, 1984; Elias and Main, 1982) and two smaller regional studies (Chaney, 1981; Yeandle, 1984). Three of these studies have concentrated on classifying work histories and relating them to other factors. In contrast, our study, based in Bristol, looks at the specific problems that women have faced in actually trying to get back into paid employment.