Child Poverty in Sydney - Anglicare Report
10 May 2012 at 11:54 am
Children from single parent families relying on Government payments like Newstart Allowance face significant risk of social and economic exclusion, according to ANGLICARE Sydney’s annual State of Sydney Report.
“Inadequate income and insecure housing are clearly the key drivers of children being socially and economically excluded from society”, said Grant Millard, CEO ANGLICARE Sydney.
Between July 2007 and December 2011 more than 27,000 households requested Emergency Relief (ER) from ANGLICARE Sydney for food and bills, equating to 76,000 visits.
Half these households had children under 16, amounting to more than 26,000 children living in households unable to pay bills and buy food.
“It is striking that over 60 percent of households with children who need ER survive on less than $500 per week, and 20 percent live on less than $400 per week. This shows how prevalent the issue of inadequate income is and why Government payments need to be raised.
“Children from single parent households are particularly at risk of disadvantage. Single parent households make up 62 percent of households with children that request ER”, said Millard.
Aboriginal households with children were disproportionately represented, making up 12 percent of requests for ER despite Aboriginal people making up only 2.5 percent of the population.
“Being a child in a single parent family or being Aboriginal should no longer be risk factors for social and economic exclusion. But this is the sad reality. It is simply unacceptable.
“The Federal Budget may further entrench child poverty by cutting the Parenting Payment for single parents and moving them to the dismally low Newstart Allowance”, said Millard.
Along with a greater investment in social and public housing, ANGLICARE Sydney is calling for a National Child Poverty Action Plan to eradicate child poverty in Australia.
The launch of State of Sydney coincides with ANGLICARE Sydney’s Winter Appeal, which this year aims to raise $1.2 million to support services for vulnerable families.
Go to www.stateofsydney.org.au for a full copy of the report
Such reports as this are important for giving a voice to those who arn’t given the opportunity to have their stories heard. The more evidence of what is really happening out there to the most disadvantaged the better. Living on an income of under $500 pw is no longer enough for a family to live on especially given the rapid rise in rent. Families on this low income in fact can longer rent in the market, meaning the Government really now does need to step up to the mark and either provide more social housing pronto or immediately increase rent assistance and Newstart/Youth Allowance and Austudy Allowances.