Prevalence and socio-demographic predictors of food insecurity among regional and remote Western Australian children

Objective: Inequities can negatively impact the health outcomes of children. The aims of this study were to: i) ascertain the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among regional and remote Western Australian (WA) children; and ii) determine which socio-demographic factors predicted child FI. Methods: Caregiver-child dyads (n=219) completed cross-sectional surveys. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS version 23. Results: Overall, 20.1% of children were classified as FI. Children whose family received government financial assistance were more likely to be FI (OR 2.60; CI 1.15, 5.91; p=0.022), as were children living in a Medium disadvantage area (OR 2.60; CI 1.18, 5.72; p=0.017), compared to High or Low SEIFA ratings. Conclusions: Study findings are suggestive of the impact low income has on capacity to be food secure. The higher FI prevalence among children from families receiving financial assistance and living in medium disadvantage areas indicates more support for these families is required. Recommendations include: ensuring government plans and policies adequately support disadvantaged families; increasing employment opportunities; establishing evidence on the causes and the potential impact of FI on children\u27s health. Implications for public health: One in five children were FI, demonstrating that FI is an issue in Western Australia

Australian Art and Design Curriculum

The Australian art and design curriculum is informed by the country’s status as an island continent as well as a specific historical and contemporary cultural milieu. Australia is the smallest continent and the only one surrounded by water, and is administered by one national federal government. Australia is the sixth largest country in area after Russia,Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. However, one of the key historical and contemporary challenges for Australia in educational provision relates to the size and distribution of its population of 24million people, which is small relative to the landmass.This brings a suite of social and political ecologies into the purview of curriculum organization and authority. In terms of population dispersal and differentiation, diverse populations are largely concentrated in cities mostly along the coastal fringe, in addition to smaller rural communities and large unpopulated remote regions. High levels of postwar immigration, alongside religious and cultural diversity, ensure a wide range of approaches to curriculum design, implementation, resourcing, and impact