Indicators:  

Children in jobless families; Children in welfare-dependent and other low income families

Context:        

Children living in families either solely or largely dependent on government welfare payments have the lowest incomes, limited access to resources, and are at greater risk of lower achievements in education and have poorer developmental health outcomes, compared to children in higher income families, including into adulthood (Taylor & Fraser 2003).

Families where no parent is employed (“jobless families”) not only experience substantial economic disadvantage but may also have reduced social opportunities that affect their wellbeing. Children who live without an employed parent may be at higher risk of experiencing financial hardship and other disadvantage in the short to medium term. They may not have a role model of employment to follow, and the joblessness of the parent(s) may mean that such children are more likely to have outcomes such as welfare dependency in the longer term. The majority of children living without an employed parent live in lone-parent households with limited resources (ABS 2009). In 2008-09, using the measure 'parent/s not employed', 12% of all families with children under 15 years were jobless, while 44% of lone parent families and only 4% of couple families were jobless in Australia (ABS 2009).

Reference: 

Taylor J and Fraser A 2003. The Life Chances Study Reports - Eleven plus: life chances and family income. The Brotherhood of St Laurance: Melbourne.

Reference: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2009. Australian Labour Market Statistics, Jan 2009. [ABS CAT no. 6105.0] At http://tinyurl.com/lkkze2 (accessed 22 September 2009)

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Indicators:  

Children in dwellings without a motor vehicle

Context:                      

A household can be considered to be disadvantaged if it lacks the resources to participate fully in society (Townsend 1987). Ready access to transport provides a link with social, education and work-related activities. While public transport can adequately provide this link for some households, for others, this access is achieved through car ownership. Those living in households without a car face many disadvantages in gaining access to services and recreation, as well as jobs, especially if they are in low-density outer suburbia, or in rural or remote areas, or in a country town. The ability to afford to run and maintain a vehicle in reliable condition to meet their transport needs, and the costs of registering and insuring a vehicle are other important factors.

Reference: Townsend P 1987. Deprivation. Journal of Social Policy 16:125-146.

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Indicators:  

Youth unemployment (ages 15 to 24 years)

Context:        

Young people who experience social disadvantage in its many forms face increased challenges in securing suitable employment. Youth unemployment and under-employment are generally associated with reduced life opportunities and poorer wellbeing, especially for those who leave school early and do not undertake further education or training. Unemployment has a direct effect on physical and mental wellbeing over and above the effects of socioeconomic status, poverty, risk factors, or prior ill-health (Dollard & Winefield 2002).

In 2009, South Australian official youth unemployment figures were generally lower than the national average, and were attributed to a rise in the school leaving age to 17 years, increased enrolments in university and training courses, a stronger economy, and a number of targeted programs to engage disadvantaged young people in skills’ development and mentored support (DFEEST 2009).

Readers should note that the official measure of unemployment, which this indicator is designed to emulate, does not take account of hidden unemployment (measured by the labour force participation rate) or underemployment (resulting from the loss of full-time jobs and the creation of part-time jobs). Alternative labour force indicators, which address these deficiencies, suggest the real level of unemployment in Australia is in excess of twice the official rate, with wider variations at a regional level.

References: Dollard MF and Winefield AH 2002. Mental Health: overemployment, underemployment, unemployment and healthy jobs. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health 1(3). At http://www.auseinet.com/journal/vol1iss3/Dollard.pdf (accessed 31 March 2008).

DFEEST (Department for Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology). Learning Works. At http://www.dfeest.sa.gov.au/AboutDFEEST/Strategiesplanspolicies/LearningWorks/tabid/169/Default.aspx (accessed 22 September 2009)

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Indicators:  

Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage

Context:                 

The ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) is a powerful indicator of the socioeconomic disadvantage faced by population groups across the State. Although it is based on the whole population, and not specifically calculated for children, it is a useful summary measure, reflecting the patterns of disadvantage for children, young people and their families seen in many of the individual indicators of social inequality which appear in this section of the report.

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• The socioeconomic status groups, based on the IRSD, are comprised of the SLAs in the table