Annual Report 2002–03 Volume I
Key strategies and activities
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- Environmental indicators and analysis
- Social justice and equity impact
- Performance highlights and policy outlook
- Measures from Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements
- Implementation of certain Australians Working Together measures
- Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements
Key strategies and activitiesThe key strategies for building stronger families are: providing financial assistance to families improving family relationships with support and education, including measures aimed at preventing or reducing the incidence of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect ensuring children continue to be financially supported if their parents separate, through the administration of the Child Support Scheme by the Child Support Agency (CSA) providing income support for young people undertaking education or training or seeking work and other support arrangements around young people’s transitions to independence and adulthood confronting difficulties experienced by young people who are disconnected, or at risk of becoming disconnected, from their family, community, education or employment by working in partnership with the Australian Government and the state and territory governments, business and community organisations providing support for access to quality child care providing a focus for prevention and early intervention initiatives for vulnerable families and children continuing to develop and implement the families aspects of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.
Australia’s population is ageing. People are having fewer children and having them later in life. The Australian total fertility rate has been declining over recent decades and in 2001 it was 1.7 babies per woman. Around a quarter of Australian women are now likely to remain childless. The median age of mothers of newborns reached 30 years for the first time in 2001; for fathers it was 32.3 years. The marriage rate for 2000 was 31.9 marriages per 1000 unmarried females over 15 years old, and 33.8 marriages per 1000 males over 15 years. The likelihood of marriages ending in divorce is 32 per cent, based on 1997-99 first marriage rates. In 2001, 53 400 children under 18 years were in families where parents divorced. There is some indication that de facto relationships may be less stable than marriage. Relationships involving cohabitation before marriage followed by marriage are beginning to last as long as direct marriage. A significant number of Australian children live in jobless families. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures, FaCS estimates that in June 2003, around 818 000 dependent children under the age of 25 were living in 416 000 Australian families where neither parent had a paid job. Two-thirds of those (283 000) were sole-parent families. Many Australian families are using formal child care to help them balance their work and family life. In 2001, 55.2 per cent of women were in the labour force, making up 43.9 per cent of the total labour force. Demand for child care is growing. Between 1984 and mid-2002, the proportion of all children in formal care more than doubled, from 12 to 25 per cent (source: ABS Child Care Australia, cat. No. 4402.0 June 2002). At September 2002, there were nearly 760 000 children in approved child care services (source: Centrelink Administrative data September 2002 quarter). Many Australian children remain at risk of abuse or neglect. In 2001-02, there were 12 840 children admitted to out-of-home care across Australia, with higher rates for Indigenous children. Information on the incidence of child abuse or neglect is difficult to obtain because of the lack of comparable data. At June 2002, there were an estimated 2 452 700 young people aged 16-24 years. In 2001, of all 15-19 year olds, 5 per cent were unemployed and looking for full-time work; of all 20-24 year olds, 6.4 per cent were unemployed and looking for full-time work. Young people are staying in education, living with their parents longer and delaying marriage or cohabitation and child bearing. In 2002, the retention rate of full-time school students from Year 7/8 to Year 12 was 75.1 per cent. In 2000, 52 per cent of men and 39 per cent of women aged 20-24 years lived with their parents while 16.1 per cent of men and 8.3 per cent of women aged 25-35 years lived with their parents.
Key achievements included:government support for the Family Law Pathways Advisory Group’s recommendations, and for the continuation of the Family Law Pathways Taskforce’s role in developing a coordinated approach to implementing the recommendations, particularly an Australian Government policy framework for the delivery of services for separating families and families in conflict signing of the joint ministerial declaration Stepping forward-improving pathways for all young people by Minister Anthony and his state and territory counterparts. The declaration commits governments to developing practical ways to increase social, educational and employment opportunities for young people and to supporting young people’s transitions through a more collaborative whole-of-government approach. a wide range of responses to consultations on the National Agenda for Early Childhood. FaCS received over 180 written submissions generally supporting the national agenda. Roundtables were held in metropolitan, regional and rural areas with peak bodies, community organisations and other government departments. Local consultations with key service providers, as well as Indigenous- specific consultations, were carried out in each state and territory. Parents from metropolitan, regional and rural areas contributed to focus groups. continued delivery of support to families through Family Tax Benefit ($10.5 billion), Child Care Benefit ($1.4 billion) and Child Care Broadband ($181 million) a strong performance from the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. Based around an early intervention and prevention approach, the strategy provides opportunities for communities to build strength and capacity through projects that deal with their local issues. In 2002–03, 164 projects were approved across the strategy. They included 60 family-focused projects (community-focused projects are reported in Outcome 2). consolidation by CSA of its new integrated telephone and information technology (IT) systems, realising benefits to clients and staff through the increased organisational capability the new systems provide improved transparency around CSA decisions with the introduction of an online guide to CSA legislation and decision-making acceptance of a Silver award by the CSA for people development initiatives and a special commendation for the implementation of Cuba, the CSA’s new IT system, at the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management. Work is required to:further develop the National Agenda for Early Childhood I continue development of FaCS input to the Work and Family Taskforce processes continue to review and develop early intervention and prevention approaches aimed at strengthening and supporting family relationships ensure young people’s needs are met in the implementation of the Government’s welfare reform and structural ageing agendas continue support, through the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, for local community and family capacity by undertaking a range of capacity-building projects through the FaCS state and territory office network. For the family-based projects, initiatives include: the Stronger Families Fund the Early Childhood Initiative the Early Intervention Parenting and Relationship Support Initiative. stem the continuing growth in maintenance debt by targeting parents who have the capacity to pay their child support but do not. CSA has achieved recognition as a world leader in managing and collecting child support. However, there are some parents who continue to be non-compliant over an extended period. Government has provided funds in the 2003-04 Budget for CSA to increase its capacity to recover debt in these cases. Measures from Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates StatementsBudget measuresExtension of funding to support family relationshipsThe Men and Family Relationships and Family Relationships Education (FRE) programs received an extension of funding of $25.1 million over four years, beginning 1 July 2003. Under the Men and Family Relationships program more than 40 community organisations have been funded to deliver services in over 80 locations across rural, regional and metropolitan Australia. These services work with men to improve their individual and family outcomes. In 2002–03, an independent evaluation of the operation of the services found that effective approaches have been developed to deliver services to a variety of clients, including separated men, Indigenous men, men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and men in prison. Under the FRE program, more than 40 community organisations are funded to provide preventive and early intervention programs across Australia, including in regional Australia. FRE services focus on delivering information and skills to foster healthy relationships. Departmental performance information shows that of the clients who accessed the services in 2002–03, 82 per cent reported an improved understanding of themselves and an enhanced capacity to apply this understanding and the skills acquired, to current and future relationships. An estimated 19 000 clients were assisted by FRE services across Australia during the 2002–03 year. The Government Response to the Family Law Pathways Advisory Group Report (May 2003) included a commitment to maintain funding for Children’s Contact Services (CCS) and to expand the Contact Orders Program (COP). This budget initiative was allocated through the Attorney-General’s portfolio, with FaCS administering the existing and new services. CCS helps children of separated parents re-establish and/or maintain a relationship with their non-resident parent where there are high levels of conflict or concern for the safety of family members. CCS offers a neutral location for changeover between residential and non-residential parents and for supervised contact. A total of $16.9 million will be provided over four years to continue 25 CCSs, with the result that all 35 services will now receive ongoing funding. COP helps separated families deal with problems and conflict affecting child contact arrangements. COP helps parents focus on their children’s needs. It uses education, counselling, mediation and access to children’s contact services as appropriate to each case. A total of $5.2 million will be provided over four years for the expansion of COP.
Improved flexibility for family assistance paymentsThe More Choice for Families package focused on increased flexibility for family assistance payments. Families who have been overpaid for part of the year because of a change in income or circumstances can choose to be paid for the rest of the year at a rate that reduces the potential for any overpayment. Families can also choose to receive part of their entitlement to Family Tax Benefit and Child Care Benefit during the year and the rest as a lump sum after the end of the year. Directory: sites -> default -> files files -> Answer True False 2 points Question 2 files -> Northern England’s set-jetting locations files -> Nstructions for Acquiring Excess Equipment online, through the 1033 Program files -> Occupational health and safety files -> The Black Panther Party’s Ten Point Program files -> International programs roel profile files -> Fermi Questions a guide for Teachers, Students, and Event Supervisors Lloyd Abrams, Ph. D. DuPont Company, cr&D/ccas experimental Station Wilmington, de 19880 files -> Personal Information Name: Maha Al-Ammari Nationality: Saudi Relationship Status Download 1.71 Mb. Share with your friends:
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