In response to a recent increase in enquiries from Australian families struggling with the costs of sending their children to school, The Smith Family this week launches its Back to School Appeal to generate 3,000 new sponsors for disadvantaged Australian children.

Serena Jopling of Wyoming is one of 30,000 students nationally already being sponsored by caring Australians through The Smith Family and last year, thanks to the support for her education, achieved dux of her primary school.

"We had been hopeful that Serena would do well in Year 6, but we were still very surprised and happy to find out she had received the award," said Serena's mother Susan.

"The support of The Smith Family is wonderful. It helps to pay for excursions, uniforms and other back to school essentials. It's particularly tough with Serena starting high school this year and needing a new uniform," she added.

During the Back to School Appeal, The Smith Family hopes to recruit more caring Australians interested in supporting local children in need of assistance with their education.

"Last year around this time we experienced a huge increase in calls from families looking for support for their children's education so that they did not have to send their children to school with the wrong uniform, or without essential text books, and we're beginning to see that again," said Chief Executive Officer of The Smith Family, Elaine Henry.

"More than that, these families were afraid of the long term ramifications of their children lacking the networks of educational and personal support they were unable to provide themselves."

In 2009 The Smith Family increased the number of disadvantaged children receiving sponsorship from 27,000 to 30,000 and will this year aim to generate a further 3,000 sponsorships to meet growing demand from Australian families in need.

Children sponsored through The Smith Family receive access to a range of literacy, numeracy and emotional support opportunities, as well as financial support for essential educational resources.

In Australia today 680,000 children are living in households where no parent is employed*, with their family's financial situation placing them at a disadvantage before they have even begun school.

"For these children, financial disadvantage is about more than just money. It's about not being able to participate fully in society, or reach their potential through education," said Ms Henry.

Child sponsorship costs less than $1 per day and is fully tax deductible. To sponsor an Australian child call 1800 024 069 of follow the links via the homepage.