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New survey shows more Australians concerned about rise in child poverty and its impact on educational outcomes

Media releases

01 May 2024

Most believe students should be given extra educational support to overcome poverty impacts, as next federal budget offers major opportunity to implement game-changing school reform.

High-res photos, b-roll and spokesperson soundbites available for download.

The latest national annual Community Attitudes Survey released by children’s education charity The Smith Family, has revealed the majority of Australians have seen child poverty worsen in the last 12 months, with 82% believing that students will be more likely to disengage in their learning as a result.

More than four out of five (83%) Australians think that extra support for education is key to helping children and young people experiencing disadvantage. Respondents cited financial assistance for school essentials and increased access to laptops and internet as measures that would help.

Annual data collected through the survey also found Australians want more focus in schools on careers education and pathways training, plus mentors to support students at school. They also support more outside-of-school programs to keep young people from falling behind with their education. And there is growing public awareness of poverty among children and young people, and its impact on their education.

With the review into the National School Reform Agreement completed late last year, and the Federal Government set to hand down its budget in two weeks, The Smith Family’s CEO Doug Taylor says Australia has a once in a generation opportunity to create a more equitable education system.

“A better future begins with a strong education, but for some children poverty is getting in the way of their ability to realise their potential at school,” Mr Taylor said.

“With more than 1.2 million Australian children growing up in disadvantage, the upcoming Federal Budget is an opportunity for the government to implement reforms that will make the education system better and fairer for all children, no matter their backgrounds.

“School funding is important, but reform requires more than getting every school to 100 per cent of its fair funding level. How money is spent in education matters, and what resources are provided to schools, particularly to government schools which educate a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, also matters.

“We’re asking for an increased focus on literacy, numeracy and digital skills; a measurable and assessable digital skills policy to ensure all students can make the most of their education and are ready for the jobs of the future; and consistent and comprehensive careers support and senior secondary pathways to support young people to understand post-school options and plan for a life beyond school.”

Mr Taylor said the cost-of-living crisis is compounding the effects already felt by children experiencing disadvantage.

“One in four children in Australia’s most disadvantaged communities start school behind in literacy and numeracy. Research shows that children who start school behind, are, on average, four years behind in maths and more than five years behind in reading by the time they reach Year 9.

“The schools we partner with are telling us that fewer families are able to afford to send their children on school camp this year. And they’re finding that some parents can’t even advise schools when their children are sick, because they can’t afford to keep paying their phone and internet bills.”

School attendance is a crucial indicator of a range of future educational and life outcomes for a student. The survey shows Australians understand how this can be impacted by poverty, with the vast majority (83%) agreeing that students experiencing poverty were more likely to miss school and fall behind.

“This is why our Winter Appeal is so critical this year. We’re aiming to raise over $7.2 million so thousands more children can access our learning and mentoring programs that help them catch up and keep up at school,” Mr Taylor said.

“Another concern for the public is the digital divide. We are supporting young people who do not have the digital technology and internet access they need to fully participate in their education. Four in five of the survey respondents agreed that not having this access is an indicator of how poverty impacts educational outcomes.

“Increasingly Australians are also understanding that providing more education and information on careers, and the study paths to achieve them, including relevant work experience is a meaningful intervention for students experiencing disadvantage with their schooling.

“This is a welcome shift in thinking, especially as it’s predicted that nine out of ten future jobs will require post-secondary school qualifications. It is vital that students have access to consistent and relevant careers education and exposure to the world of work.”

To help students, The Smith Family runs learning and mentoring programs like after-school Learning Clubs, mentoring programs pairing working adults with high school students for career advice, and the student2student in-home reading program for children.

View the survey results here.

To donate to The Smith Family’s Winter Appeal, visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au/winter

Media Enquiries:

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au