Welcome focus on disadvantaged families, but more to be done

Tonight’s Federal Budget provides a good starting point for improving education and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people from disadvantaged families.  

The Smith Family has welcomed the funding of targeted initiatives to address the learning needs of children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This includes $840 million for the states and territories to continue preschool programs that particularly help Indigenous, vulnerable and disadvantaged children. 

“These kinds of initiatives facilitate early learning among the children who need our help most,” CEO of The Smith Family, Dr Lisa O’Brien said. “They help lay the vital foundations for ongoing educational participation and achievement, as we know through our work at The Smith Family.”

The Smith Family has also acknowledged the Federal Government’s focus on helping disadvantaged families to access high quality childcare. However, it said any changes to current childcare subsidy arrangements must ensure that already vulnerable families aren’t further disadvantaged. 

“There are 1 in 10 Australian children living in jobless families and it’s the children in these families who need the highest levels of support if we want to build better futures for them,” Dr O’Brien said. “Currently one in three children in Australia’s most disadvantaged communities start behind in key areas of their development, including literacy and numeracy.

 “As Australia’s largest education-focused children’s charity, our biggest concern is that disadvantaged families could miss out on access to vital early childhood support due to changes in activity testing.  

“We are concerned parents in casual or insecure employment won’t be able to secure employment unless they have childcare, but can’t secure childcare unless they have employment."

The Smith Family urges the Commonwealth to build on these initiatives for young children to ensure ongoing support for disadvantaged children and young people as they move through school. This will ensure maximum benefit for both them and Australia as a whole.

 “As the international research and The Smith Family’s own experience shows, the best return on investment is achieved when disadvantaged children are supported in the early years and across their schooling," Dr O'brien said. "This sets up young people to realise their potential and contribute economically and socially to Australia”.

Currently 42% of 17 to 24 year olds in Australia’s most disadvantaged communities are not fully engaged in employment or education, with negative long-term consequences. Ensuring disadvantaged young Australians have the opportunity to attend, complete school, and move into employment or further education, is the key to addressing long-term welfare dependency.

Dr O'Brien said: "We welcome the additional support provided through the Youth Employment Strategy to help severely disengaged young people move into employment. 

“In the longer term, if we’re to reduce the number of disengaged young people, we need to intervene early and build their connections to the labour market while they’re still in school. 

“As an organisation working with 134,000 disadvantaged children, young people and their families a year, The Smith Family knows the type of support that delivers education and employment outcomes for young people. We look forward to working with the Commonwealth to ensure more young Australians have the opportunity to realise their potential."

The Smith Family has also welcomed ongoing funding of Saver Plus. This will ensure more families can access the program and attain important financial skills, including positive savings habits. The program builds financial capability skills and confidence for participants and has been a catalyst for meaningful change in the lives of thousands of financially disadvantaged families.