Poor families, poor children: who cares for the next generation?

Abstract

Despite the recovery in the Australian economy since 1991, the number of poor families in Australia has continued to increase. By September 1996, 43 per cent of Australian families could be regarded as poor. Some four out every ten of these were headed by lone parents. These findings highlight major questions about the resources available to poor families in a context where families are increasingly expected to invest heavily in their children’s education