Social justice

Governments face challenge to improve opportunities for children and families

Fifteen per cent of Australian children live in a jobless household, more than 34,000 children are on care and protection orders and one quarter of all homeless people across the nation are families with children.

These bleak statistics are part of a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare called Australia's welfare 2009.

Bleaker still is the fact that most of those statistics have increased significantly over the past few years. Homeless families have increased 17 per cent since 2001 and children in care have increased 37 per cent since 2005.

Only the proportion of children living in jobless households reduced - from 19 per cent in 1996 to 15 per cent in 2006. This still represents more than half a million children growing up in a household where no adult is employed.

As the report points out 'members of households where no-one is employed report worse physical and mental health and lower life satisfaction than members of households where someone is employed'.

Unemployment is forecast to rise in Australia despite recent signs of economic recovery and underemployment remains an issue as well.

Youth underemployment in particular rose from 10.9 per cent in 2008 to 14.3 per cent in May 2009.

The challenge ahead for both State and Federal Governments as we head towards an election year will be to target spending initiatives on areas that will support families, keep children safe and provide opportunities for employment.

RSS | Previous Post | Next Post | Comments: 0  | Comment on this