In the 2020 ACOSS report on ‘Poverty In Australia‘, it was determined that 774,000 children or 1 in 6 Australian children aged 0-14 years lived in poverty. (the latest available data). At 17.7%, the percentage of children living in poverty is higher than the percentage of any other age group – including those aged 65 years and over.
That means our children, our children’s friends, our playgroup buddies are at risk of poverty, despite living in a country that is first-world and prosperous. The report shows that child poverty is directly influenced by economic conditions, as is the Nations total poverty rate. It also proposes that changes to the social security system since the GFC have had a direct impact on the increase of child poverty in Australia. We do know that the government support that was provided as an additional top-up in 2020-2021 during peak COVID times made a tremendous difference to these children. Solo parents in particular have spoken about these payment top-ups as providing a real opportunity to buy their children new shoes as opposed to hand=me-downs, see a dentist for more than the a free checkup, buy clothes and eat meals together without parents skimping food for themselves just to make things go around.
Sound unbelievable ? It’ s not – we know its real-life circumstance for many solo parent families!
Among different family types, sole parent families have the highest poverty rates, at 35%. Children in sole parent families are more than three times as likely to live in poverty than children in couple families, who have a poverty rate of 13%.
What are doing about childhood poverty ?
Working Solutions seeks opportunities to open work pathways for solo parents. Pathways that offer flexible and sustainable employment and an added source of income during their children’s earliest years, and employment that offers career opportunities in the later years as child care is less demanding.
Some of our newest projects include:
Open Door | Employer project
Flex – e work | Employment project
We are seeking collaborations with industry, small business and support groups to build work opportunities for s0lo parents and grow awareness among employer groups about the need to change workplace culture. A culture that embraces the value of solo parents in work and innovation
