ASPC 2009 program and abstracts

AUSTRALIAN SOCIAL POLICY CONFERENCE 2009

An Inclusive Society?Practicalities and Possibilities8-10 July 2009

Chinese Social PolicyPre-conference Workshop

7 July 2009

PROGRAM & ABSTRACTSUniversity of New South Wales, Sydney

Gold Sponsor:

Silver Sponsor: Hosted by:


An Inclusive Society?Practicalities and Possibilities8-10 July 2009

Chinese Social Policy Pre-conference Workshop7 July 2009

PROGRAM & ABSTRACTSUniversity of New South Wales, Sydney

Sponsors:

NGO Sponsors:

Sponsors: Conference Dinner Sponsor:

Hosted by:

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Welcome

This is the 11th ASPC, and the SPRC has been stagingthis conference for over 20 years. In these days offinancial straits it is gratifying that so many people are stillattending the conference and our numbers continue tohold up. That is an indication of the fact that the ASPC isthe primary event in the social policy calendar. Since thelast conference the social policy context in Australia haschanged considerably. The election of the Ruddgovernment and the global financial crisis have both hadsignificant impacts on the way we think about social policyin Australia, and I am sure this will be reflected in theconference presentations and discussions.

As usual we have a wonderful mix of keynotepresentations, paper sessions and forums, as well asextra events and, of course, a full social calendar. Ofparticular significance is the official launch of theAustralian Social Policy Association (ASPA) which I wouldurge you to join. This is a key new development inAustralia, and it is another important step towards raisingthe profile of Social Policy not only as an academicdiscipline but also as recognition of the need to bringtogether academics and policymakers. Unlike the UK SPAor the USA APPAM, the ASPA will not confine itsmembership to academics but will engage with socialpolicy stakeholders from all sectors. This is also the strengthof the ASPC, which contains presentations from policymakers, NGOs and practitioners, as well as researchers.

I would like to acknowledge the organisations that haveprovided us with financial support, making this year’sconference possible. Our thanks are extended to theFaculty of Arts and Social Sciences here at the Universityof New South Wales and the Australian GovernmentDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), both of who areproviding the major sponsorships for this event. TheConference Dinner has been sponsored by the AustralianGovernment Department of Education, Employment andWorkplace Relations (DEEWR) and we have alsoreceived sponsorship from the Australian GovernmentDepartment of Human Services, the NSW Department ofHealth, the NSW Department of Housing, the Australian

Institute of Family Studies, the Australian Bureau ofStatistics, Mission Australia and The Benevolent Society.The Chinese Social Policy Workshop has also beensupported by the UNSW Confucius Institute. We gratefullyacknowledge the support provided by AusAID towardsinternational delegate travel.

The SPRC is delighted to be associated with each ofthese agencies and we look forward to continuingcollaborations with them.

The theme of this year’s conference is An InclusiveSociety: Practicalities and Possibilities. Our three keynotespeakers will provide different perspectives on thisimportant topic. Naomi Eisenstadt, Director of the SocialExclusion Task Force in the UK, will discuss the UKexperience of tackling disadvantage across the life courseand between generations. Tom Calma, Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner fromthe Australian Human Rights Commission will discusssocial inclusion for the most marginalised groups inAustralia – Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders – andProfessor Ann Orloff from Northwestern University inChicago will discuss conflicts in the pursuit of genderequality between supporting women as full-timecaregivers and requiring employment for all.

These promise to be three very stimulating andfascinating presentations, all of whom will add to ourunderstanding of inclusion and how best to promote it.

The task of organising the conference was shared bymany of the Centre’s staff and they are listed elsewherein the program. I would just like here to highlight thosewith overall responsibility for putting together the program– the intellectual content of the conference. They areBruce Bradbury, Tony Eardley and Lyn Craig, plus DebBrennan who organised the refereed paper stream. Onceagain we would also like to extend our thanks to the teamat the Hotel Network who have assisted with the practicalbusiness of organising the conference; their work andprofessionalism has been crucial to the smooth running ofthe event. All those involved deserve our thanks for thetime and effort that they have put in to ensure that we canall get the best out of the next three days.

We hope that you will find the 2009 Australian SocialPolicy Conference stimulating and enjoyable.

Professor Ilan Katz

Welcome to the AustralianSocial Policy Conferenceorganised by the Social PolicyResearch Centre at theUniversity of New South Wales.

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Conference theme

How can we build an inclusive society? This theme is a topicof growing importance in social policy – and one that iscentral to the stated aims of the current Labor Government. Ata time of global economic insecurity, exacerbated by thechallenges of climate change, how do we create a society thatis both socially and economically inclusive within its ownborders and actively engaged with its regional neighbours topromote a wider form of global inclusiveness? The currentrealities, the possibilities and the practical challenges involvedin meeting these goals will be discussed by plenary and forumspeakers, and taken up in contributed papers.

Marking the increasing engagement of Australia with Asia, theconference this year will be preceded on 7 July by a one-dayworkshop on Chinese Social Policy.

About the Social Policy Research Centre

The Social Policy Research Centre is a research centre of theFaculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of NewSouth Wales. The Centre was established in 1980 to conductresearch on all aspects of social policy - to disseminateresearch findings, to promote research training through PhDstudy and to contribute to policy development. Our mission isto conduct and disseminate policy relevant social researchthat extends the highest standards of excellence. TheCentre’s research is funded by governments at bothCommonwealth and State levels, by academic grant bodiesand by non-governmental agencies.

Our main topics of enquiry are: poverty, social inequality andstandards of living; the role of households and families inmeeting social need; work, employment and welfare reform;the organisation and delivery of human services; locality andgeography in social needs; support services and communitywell-being; early interventions in child protection; disability,ageing and retirement; housing policies and services; issuesaffecting Indigenous and CALD populations; caring andcarers: drugs and crime; the politics of social policy and itsinstitutions; and Asian, in particular Chinese, social policy.

The Centre regularly holds seminars and conferences andhas an active publishing program. The Centre also fostersdiscussion of social policy research and policy issues byorganising and hosting conferences and seminars, andsupports the training and development of qualifiedresearchers and teachers in social policy through in-houseand external training initiatives and a program of PhD study.

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General information

REGISTRATION DESKRegistration for the conference will take place in the foyerof the John Niland Scientia building for the duration of theconference.

INFORMATION For general enquiries about the conference and anyspecial needs, please contact the Hotel Network staff atthe Registration Desk. There will also be an SPRC HelpDesk in the foyer of the Central Lecture Block (CLB).Centre staff can be recognised by red registration IDlanyards.

LOCATION OF THEATRESThe Plenary Sessions will be held in Leighton Hall (in theScientia Building) and all of the concurrent sessions willbe held in the Central Lecture Block (CLB). Forums willtake place in CLB theatre 6, plus the Galleries (Scientiabuilding). The locations are shown on the map followingthis section.

DISABILITY ACCESSAll of the Conference venues are wheelchair accessible.Leighton Hall is fully accessible. The CLB theatres, excepttheatre 3, are accessible from the front and rear. Theatre3 is only accessible from the front (podium, lower campusend). A map of the University showing wheelchair routesis included in the program or available from theregistration desk. All venues have audio loops for peoplewith a hearing impairment.

SPECIAL EVENTS/MESSAGESA board is located in the Scientia for participantmessages, media contacts and for information aboutprogram changes and special events.

MEDIA CONTACTSJournalists may wish to contact paper contributors duringthe conference. The University’s Media Office, with helpfrom designated SPRC staff, will handle liaison withmedia. Please make regular checks of the Press Contactssection of the message board in the Scientia foyer.Rooms are available for media interviews. Please speakto staff at the registration desk for further information.

RECEPTION

A welcome reception will be held in the foyer of the ScientiaBuilding from 5.45 to 7.00 pm on Wednesday 8 July.

MORNING AND AFTERNOONTEAS / LUNCHESCoffee/tea will be available during registration in TheScientia Building foyer and Tyree Room. Lunches will alsotake place in these rooms. Excess or unused food will becollected on a daily basis by OzHarvest and distributed tocharity.

CONFERENCE DINNERWe are pleased to announce that the Conference Dinnerthis year is sponsored by the Department of Education,Employment and Workplace Relations.

The dinner will be held at WatersEdge Restaurant(Ground Floor, Pier One, 11 Hickson Road Walsh Bay) onThursday 9 July from 7.20pm. Complimentary buses willleave from the various hotels from 7.00pm (see dinnerticket for details) to the University Campus (Gate 9) andarrive at the dinner venue at approximately 7.20. Buseswill return to the campus (Gate 9) and hotels at 11.00pm.The dinner will cost $100.00 per head and includes threecourses, coffee and drinks. Please book with the HotelNetwork staff at registration as soon as possible.

AIRPORT BUSTwo 42-seater complimentary buses will transport peopleto the airport at the conclusion of the conference. Thebuses will leave from Gate 9, High Street at 3.45pm and4.15pm, arriving at the Domestic Terminals atapproximately 4.15pm and 4.45pm. Please reserve yourseat at the registration desk on registration. Seats areavailable on a first-come, first-served basis.

TAXISIf you require a taxi at the conclusion of the conferenceplease add your name, and details of your destination tothe list at the registration desk.

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PARKINGThere is limited parking space on campus via Gate 11 onBotany Street. It is advisable to take public transport. Tofind out about getting to and from UNSW Campuses, visithttp://www.transport.unsw.edu.au/. For more informationabout parking on campus please visithttp://www.facilities.unsw.edu.au/fm-assist/parking/.

TELEPHONESPublic phones are available in the foyer of the ScientiaBuilding and outside the CLB.

MOBILE PHONESIf you have a mobile phone, please ensure that it is onsilent while you are attending conference sessions. Paperpresenters are reminded to leave a mobile phone numberat the registration desk and are encouraged to check itbetween sessions in case of potential media contact.

PHOTOCOPYINGThere are no facilities available for copying papers withinthe conference itself. Photocopying facilities are availablein the Library nearby.

COMPUTERS/INTERNETCONNECTIONSSome computers are available in the speakers’preparation area in the Tyree room within the Scientia.Wireless network access for your own computer isavailable if you registered for this prior to the conference.More information is available from the registration orinformation desks.

CONFERENCE PAPERSAll conference papers provided in electronic form to theorganisers will be placed on the Conference website fordownloading as soon as they are available. Otherwise it isthe responsibility of individual presenters to providecopies for those interested.

CONFERENCE EVALUATIONPlease help us to keep the Australian Social PolicyConference continually improving by completing theevaluation sheet provided in your conference satchel.Please drop the completed sheet in the box at theregistration desk before you leave.

CONFERENCE ORGANISATIONThe practical management of the conference has againbeen contracted out to the Hotel Network Ltd. Within theSPRC, it has been organised by Melissa Roughley, BruceBradbury, Tony Eardley and Lyn Craig, with help fromJuanita Vargas, Duncan Aldridge, Kathy Tannous, BettinaCass, Carol Sullivan and David Cami. The refereed paperstream was organised by Deborah Brennan withassistance from Saul Flaxman, and the organisers thankthe external reviewers for their time. The forums wereorganised by Peter Whiteford, Bruce Bradbury and TonyEardley.

CONFERENCE SPONSORSGOLD SPONSOR:Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW

SILVER SPONSOR:Australian Government Department of Families, Housing,Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

SponsorsAustralian Bureau of StatisticsAustralian Government Department of Human ServicesAustralian Institute of Family StudiesNSW Department of HealthNSW Department of Housing

Dinner SponsorAustralian Government Department of Education,Employment and Workplace Relations

Non Government Organisation SponsorsThe Benevolent SocietyMission Australia

Other ContributorsUNSW Confucius instituteAusAid

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Conference venues

BUSES TO DINNER

BO

TAN

YS

TR

EE

T

LIMITED

PARKING

GOODSELL

LIBRARY

LAWN

MATTHEWS ARCADE

TAXIS INFRONTOF POSTOFFICE

CLBCONTRIB.PAPERS

MORVEN BROWN

PARKING

FROMANZAC

PARADELOWER

CAMPUS

PLENARYREGISTRATION

SCIENTIA

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11LIFT

HIGH STREET

Located in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, the University of New South Wales is easily accessible from the city and themany nearby seaside suburbs.

To view other maps of the University in relation to the city of Sydney visit:http://www.facilities.unsw.edu.au/Maps/maps.html

To find out about getting to and from UNSW Campuses, visit : http://www.transport.unsw.edu.au/

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Program at a glance

Tuesday 7 July

9:00am Chinese Social Policy Workshop Matthews Arcade room

Wednesday 8 July

9:30am Registration Scientia foyer

10:30am Morning tea Scientia foyer and Tyree room

11:00am OPENING AND PLENARY SESSION Leighton HallWelcome to Country: Uncle Norm Newlin, Eora nation elderWelcome: Professor Fred Hilmer (Vice-Chancellor, UNSW)Opening Address: Her Excellency The Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin BrycePlenary Address: Naomi Eisenstadt

12:30pm Lunch Scientia foyer and Tyree room

1:30pm CONTRIBUTED PAPERS CLB 1-8

3:00pm Afternoon tea Scientia foyer and Tyree room


5.45pm – 7.00pm Reception and launch of Australian Social Policy Association Scientia foyer

Thursday 9 July

9:30am CONTRIBUTED PAPERS CLB 1-8


11:30am PLENARY SESSION – Tom Calma Leighton Hall




4:00pm FORUMS• The challenges for social policy in financial crisis and recession Scientia Galleries• Planning and delivering services in hard times CLB 6

7:00pm Buses leave for dinner Hotels and Gate 9, UNSW

7:20pm Dinner WatersEdge, Walsh Bay

11:00pm Buses return to hotels and UNSW

Friday 10 July

9:30am CONTRIBUTED PAPERS CLB 1-8


11:30am PLENARY SESSION – Professor Ann Shola Orloff Leighton Hall




4:00pm Conference closes

4:15pm Buses depart for airport Outside Gate 9

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Keynote speakers

Wednesday 11:00am – 12:30pm, Leighton Hall

NAOMI EISENSTADT CB Director, UK Social Exclusion Task Force

UK experience of tackling complex disadvantage

Naomi Eisenstadt will be presenting the UK experience of tackling social exclusion. The theme forthis talk will be the intergenerational transfer of disadvantage. In particular, she will describe therole of the Social Exclusion Task Force, and some of its most recent projects: the effect of place onyoung people’s aspirations, women in the criminal justice system, and the Public Service

Agreement on socially excluded adults. She will use these pieces of work to explore two key approaches to reducingdisadvantage: systems reform and evidence based interventions including some examples of successful examples ofboth approaches. Finally she will finish her talk with two key challenges: working across government departments withdiffering priorities and organisational cultures; and the challenge of diversity: what has to be the same nationally andwhat should be left to local government, and indeed local neighbourhoods to decide for themselves.

Thursday 11:30am – 12:30pm, Leighton Hall

TOM CALMA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and RaceDiscrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission

Including the marginalised – social inclusion and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

‘By almost any measure, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can be considered to be atthe margins of Australian society. We are over –represented against all indicators of social andeconomic disadvantage. We lack a national representative voice and we are subject to policies and

practices over which we have little say. Many of us live in regional, rural and remote locations with limited access toservices and support.’

Commissioner Calma will discuss the challenges and the opportunities for including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderpeople in the Australian institutions of governance and decision-making. His presentation will describe practices thatfacilitate social inclusion. He will also review policies and practices that must be changed if Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander people are to have equal access to the opportunities available in Australian society.

Friday, 11:30am – 12:30pm, Leighton Hall

PROFESSOR ANN ORLOFF Professor of Sociology, Gender Studies and PoliticalScience at Northwestern University USA, and Chair of the International Sociological AssociationResearch Committee 19

Farewell to maternalism? State policies, feminist politics and mothers’ employment

In much of the developed world, we are in the midst of what might be called a “farewell tomaternalism,” a change in the gendered logic of our system of social provision from supporting

women as full-time caregivers (in households headed by breadwinning men or as single mothers) to requiring andsupporting employment for all. Today, in many welfare states, motherhood no longer offers a basis for makingentitlement claims unless accompanied by employment, whatever its considerable remaining cultural and political-discursive power. Systems of social provision and regulation are being restructured to encourage “activation” andeconomic self-sufficiency. This is an epochal shift in social policy, politics and gender relations. In this paper, I aim todescribe and to explain this shift; to understand its implications for future policy possibilities; and to assess the gains andlosses for feminism in maternalist policy and in the employment-based policies that have replaced it. Many feministshave argued persuasively that to advance toward greater gender egalitarianism, we should pursue policies that will helpto bring into being, and support, greater gender equality in the allocation and performance of carework and paidemployment: a dual earner/dual carer society. Other feminists continue to champion the project of valorizing careworkand motherhood, combating masculinist assumptions in social policy; this might be thought of as an attempt to rethinkand update maternalism. I assess these alternative goals from the perspective of long-standing feminist debates aboutemancipatory projects based on “sameness” and “difference,” how we can get beyond the well-known limitations of both,and perhaps find ways to overcome this dilemma.

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Forumsessions

Thursday 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

The challenges for socialpolicy in financial crisis andrecession

Scientia Galleries

Chair: Peter Whiteford(Social Policy Research Centre)

Wayne Vroman– Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

Bob Gregory– Emeritus Professor of economics, ANU

John Quiggin– ARC Federation Fellow, University ofQueensland (via video link)

Clare Martin– CEO, Australian Council of Social Services

Planning and deliveringservices in hard times

CLB 6

Chair: Kristy Muir(Social Policy Research Centre)

Lorna Hallahan– School of Social Work, FlindersUniversity South Australia

Monsignor David Cappo– Chair of the Social Inclusion Board ofSouth Australia and Vice Chair of theAustralian Social Inclusion Board

David Thompson– Chief Executive Officer, Jobs Australia

Special event

LAUNCH OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIALPOLICY ASSOCIATIONWednesday 8 July, Conference Reception 5.45pm, Scientia Foyer

In 2007 delegates at the Australian Social Policy Conference wereinvited to a meeting to discuss setting up an Australian Social PolicyAssociation (ASPA). This has been taken forward and the AustralianSocial Policy Association will be launched at the conference receptionby Serena Wilson from FaHCSIA.

Special sessionsMEASURING SOCIAL IMPACT: THE STATE OFEVALUATION IN AUSTRALIA FROM NON-PROFIT PERSPECTIVEWednesday 8 July, 1:30pm-3:00pm, CLB 8

PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENThursday 9 July, 1.30pm - 3.30 pm, CLB 8

Violence against women is examined from three contemporaryperspectives, with original presentations by experienced practitioners,activists and researchers:

• Lesley Laing, founding Director of the Australian Domestic andFamily Violence Clearinghouse, presents her research about theinterface between domestic violence and mental illness

• Betty Green, convenor and co-founder of the NSW DomesticViolence Committee Coalition, advocates for systemic responsesto prevent domestic violence homicides

• Ludo McFerran, Australian Domestic and Family ViolenceClearinghouse, and Robyn Edwards, Social Policy ResearchCentre, discuss the groundbreaking research Staying HomeLeaving Violence, and strategies to prevent homelessness forwomen and children when leaving domestic violence

Gaby Marcus, Clearinghouse Director, will open the session andprovide an Australian context for the presentations.

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCHWITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLEFriday 10 July, 9.30-11.00am, CLB 1

DISABILITY RESEARCH WORKSHOPFriday 10 July, 2.00-3.30pm, CLB breakout space

The session has been arranged to discuss the development of anAustralian disability research agenda. The session will build on thediscussions from the Disability Studies Conference, Australia.

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Gold Sponsor

PROUD SPONSOR OFTHE AUSTRALIAN SOCIAL POLICY CONFERENCE 2009Arts and Social Sciences at UNSW is one of Australia’s leading humanities faculties, with over3,500 undergraduate and 1,000 postgraduate students from more than 80 countries. TheFaculty offers a progressive and stimulating environment for teaching, learning and research.

A wide range of postgraduate coursework options provide the flexibility to enrol in GraduateCertificate, Graduate Diploma or Master programs. Those interested in research have theopportunity to pursue PhD, Master or Graduate Diploma by research programs in a diverserange of disciplines and cross-disciplinary areas within our Schools and Research Centres.

School of Education Social Policy Research Centre

School of English, Media and Performing Arts National Centre in HIV Social Research

School of History and Philosophy Journalism and Media Research Centre

School of Languages and Linguistics Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Research Unit

School of Social Sciences and International Gifted Education, Research, Resource andStudies Information Centre

Disability Studies and Research Centre

Centre for Refugee Research

Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies

Australian Learning and Teaching Performance Fund 2009Only university in Australia to receive the top ranking for Humanities, Arts and Education in both Excellence and Improvement.

Consistently ranked in the World’s Top 50 Universities (THES-QS 2008)UNSW Overall: 45th Social Sciences: 28th Arts and Humanities: 51st

Achieved the maximum 5 star ratings in 11 performance indicators in the 2009 Good Universities Guide, more than anyother Australian University

– Graduate Starting Salaries – Positive Graduate Outcomes– Teaching Quality – Staff to Student Ratios– Research Grants – Research Intensivity– Staff Qualifications – International Enrolments– Cultural Diversity – Acquisition of Generic Skills– Student Success in Gaining Full-Time Employment

W: www.arts.unsw.edu.au E: [email protected] T: + 612 9385 2291

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Postgraduate Expo Evening 23 September 2009

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Sponsors

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is Australia’s officialstatistical agency. It provides statistics on a wide range of economic,environmental and social matters, covering government, business andthe population in general. It also has an important leadership andcoordination function with respect to the statistical activities of otherofficial bodies, both in Australia and overseas.

The full range of ABS publications and products are made available FREE via the ABSwebsite. Visit www.abs.gov.au now or call our National Information and Referral Service on1300 135 070 to discuss your data requirements.

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The Human Services Portfolio is about people and the serviceswe may need at different stages of our lives. It consists of theDepartment of Human Services (DHS)—including the ChildSupport Agency and CRS Australia—and the Human Servicesagencies, Centrelink, Medicare Australia and Australian Hearing.The Department of Human Services provides a central policy and coordination role for thedelivery of services across the Portfolio as well as being the delivery agency for childsupport and vocational rehabilitation services. The Department and the Human Servicesagencies work to improve government social and health-related services to all Australians.The Department directs, coordinates and brokers improvements to policy on servicedelivery and service delivery reform across Human Services agencies from a whole-of-government perspective. By providing advice on service delivery policy and programs the Department has broughtabout more effective and efficient delivery of a wide range of services in the areas of socialinclusion, health, families and income support. In 2008–09, its work contributed toimproved service delivery for a range of Australians, including the homeless, the sick,children, seniors, Indigenous Australians, same-sex couples and farmers affected by drought.

The Benevolent Society is anon-religious, not-for-profit organisation withnearly 200 years of experience of working tobring about positive change in communities.

Helping vulnerable people is our core work,with a focus on quality service delivery and evidence-based practice, supported byresearch and evaluation.

Conducting research helps us to grow our knowledge about social issues and find bettersolutions for clients and communities. Evaluation helps to ensure our services aremaking a positive difference to people’s lives.

We influence social policy by mobilising a broad section of the community around socialissues, working together to bring about positive change. Our purpose is to create caringand inclusive communities and a just society.

www.bensoc.org.au

Sponsors

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Chinese Social Policy Workshop

Tuesday 7 July

8.00am Registration

9.00am WELCOME – Richard Henry Chair: Xiaoyuan Shang

9.30am INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW – Peter Saunders

10:30am Morning tea

11:00am SOCIAL SECURITY AND POVERTY Chair: Ilan Katz

Sustaining pension reform in China – Peter Whiteford and Xin Yi

Features of a social policy framework and development strategy of social welfare in China – Liu Jitong

Social inclusion in Taiwan: a preliminary subjective investigation under the framework of social quality– Lih-Rong Wang

12.00pm DISCUSSION

12:30pm Lunch

1.30pm OLDER PEOPLE Chair: Megan Blaxland

The absent role of the state: analysis of social support to older people with disability in rural China– Karen Fisher, Xiaoyuan Shang and Li Zhengang

A profile of aged population in China: results from 2000 and 2006 sample surveys of the aged populationin urban/rural China – Guo Ping and Liu Fang

2.10pm DISCUSSION

2.30pm Afternoon tea

3.00pm SOCIAL SERVICES Chair: Peter Whiteford

Empowerment for people with disabilities (rights-based programmes for PWDs) – Tingyu Wang

Child protection systems in rural China: interagency responses– Ilan Katz, Yahua Zhang and Xiaoyuan Shang

3.40pm DISCUSSION

4.00pm FUTURE RESEARCH AND COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES Chair: Karen Fisher

5.00pm CLOSING SUMMARY Chair: Xiaoyuan Shang

5.30pm Drinks

BackgroundThe Chinese Social Policy Workshop will present recent research on developments in Chinese social policy. Its aim is toincrease the capacity of Chinese and Australian researchers to collaborate in areas of joint policy research interest bybuilding on their record of cooperative social policy research relations.

Chinese, Australian and other international researchers and government and nongovernment officials engaged in currentresearch in China or with an interest in developing that research agenda will present and attend the workshop.Simultaneous interpreting is available. The expected outcome will be the formation of networks of academics, post-graduate candidates and officials to further the conclusions from the workshop. Peer reviewed papers from theworkshop will be published in an international special issue journal.

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Full program

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

(Leighton Hall)Plenary Session

Opening SessionChair: Ilan Katz, SPRC

Welcome to country

Uncle Norm Newlin, Eora nation elder

Welcome

Professor Fred Hilmer AOVice-chancellor and President, UNSW

Opening Address

Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce ACGovernor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

UK experience of tackling complex disadvantage

Naomi EisenstadtDirector of the Social Exclusion Task Force, UK Cabinet Office

12:30 pm to 1:30pm Lunch

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

(CLB 1)Social exclusion and economic inequalities

Relationship breakdown and women’sincomesChair: Roger Patulny

[R] The ‘quintessential problem debtor’? Mother-ledhouseholds in economic hard times

Maureen BakerUniversity of Auckland

The effect of relationship breakdown on poverty and socialexclusion: the impact of stability of income and control overhousehold expenditure

David de Vaus, Matthew Gray, Lixia Qu and David Stanton

La Trobe University, Australian Institute of Family Studies andAustralian National University

Addressing abused women’s financial security: securingsafer outcomes

Rochelle Braaf and Emily HamiltonAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, UNSW

(CLB 2)Children, young people and families

Child support and family well-beingChair: Ching Choi

Patterns of post-separation parenting, family dynamics andfamily wellbeing among separated parents registered withthe Child Support Agency: a pre-reform snapshot and planfor post-reform investigation

WEDNESDAY 8 JULY

Bruce Smyth, Bryan Rodgers, Jeremy Temple, Marian Esler andAllan Shephard (CSA)Australian National University; Department of Families, Housing,Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; and Child SupportAgency

[R] The use of child support money in meeting housingcosts.

Kristin NatalierSchool of Sociology and Social Work,University of Tasmania

Private collect arrangements and child support

Maria VnukDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

(CLB 3)Identity, diversity and citizenship

Framing the debate on politics andideologyChair: Lyn Craig

[R] ‘Beyond left and right’ or ‘the end of ideology’?Comparing two discourses

Denise ThompsonSocial Policy Research Centre

Social inclusion/exclusion: a faulty paradigm for a strongwelfare state?

Ruth PhillipsUniversity of Sydney

Gay treachery and the punishment of queers

David Patricia AbellóSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

(CLB 4)Housing, place and the environment

Homelessness, mental health and disabilityChair: Kristy Muir

Are the homeless mentally ill?

Guy Johnson and Chris ChamberlainRMIT University

What policy approaches are needed to ensure that peoplewith psychiatric disabilities have access to appropriatehousing?

Sam BattamsFlinders University of South Australia

Facilitators and barriers in Australian disability housing andsupport policies: using a human rights framework

Sarah Parker and Karen FisherDepartment of Disability & Human Development, University ofIllinois at Chicago, and Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Note:The symbol [R] before a paper title means that it has been accepted via a full-paper refereeing process.

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(CLB 5)Labour market participation and welfare reform

Taxes and transfersChair: Trish Hill

[R] A generation of change, a lifetime of difference? Modellifetime analysis of changes in the British Welfare Statesince 1979

Martin Evans and Lewis WillamsDepartment of Social Policy and Social Work, University ofOxford

Applying gender equality to the Australian tax transfer system

Helen HodgsonATAX, UNSW

Australian tax-transfer policy in comparative perspective

Peter WhitefordSocial Policy Research Centre


School entryChair: Jennifer Skattebol

Does it matter at what age children start school inAustralia? Investigating the effects of school starting age onsix-year old children’s outcomes

Ben Edwards, Mario Fiorini and Matt Taylor

Australian Institute of Family Studies and University ofTechnology, Sydney

Child care influences on children’s adjustment andachievement in the first year of school

Jennifer Bowes, Linda Harrison, Alan Taylor, Naomi Sweller andCatherine Neilsen-Hewett

Institute of Early Childhood

Home to school transitions for financially disadvantagedchildren: findings from Growing up in Australia, theLongitudinal Study of Australian Children

Diana Smart, Ann Sanson, Jenny Baxter, Ben Edwards and AlanHayes

Australian Institute of Family Studies and University ofMelbourne

(CLB 8)Organisation and delivery of human services

Panel discussion on measuring socialimpactChair: Annette Michaux

Measuring social impact: the state of evaluation in Australiafrom a non-profit perspective

Annette Michaux and Rob SimonsThe Benevolent Society and The Smith Family

3:00pm to 3:30pm Afternoon tea

3:30 pm to 5:30 pm


Disability and social exclusionChair: Karen Fisher

The geography of disability and economic disadvantage

Louise O’RanceAustralian Institute of Health and Welfare

Disability and community life: does regional living enhancesocial participation?

Samara McPhedranDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

Social inclusion among young people with a disability

Peng YuDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

Inclusion is ... / inclusion is not...: the lived experience forpeople with disabilities

Josey McMahonQueenslanders with Disability Network


Employment servicesChair: Elizabeth Adamson

The wheel turns again – recession, long termunemployment and public policy

Peter DavidsonAustralian Council of Social Service and post-graduate student,Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Flexibility and regulation: 10 years of Job Network frontlineservices

Siobhan O'Sullivan, Mark Considine and Jenny LewisUniversity of Melbourne

Employment services for tough times

Louise WardJob Futures

‘It’s easier to be a policeman than an unlocker of dreams’:successful employment strategies in a deeply excluded area

Julia Perry and Frances Jamieson


Early intervention, child rights andcommunity careChair: Fiona Hilferty

Partnerships to develop early intervention and prevention:the Let’s Start project in urban, regional and remotecontexts of the NT

Gary Robinson*, Yomei Jones*, Kate McGuinness*, Stephen RZubrick** and, Sven R Silburn***Charles Darwin University; **Curtin University of Technology andthe Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, ***MenziesSchool of Health Research.

WEDNESDAY 8 JULY

16

The Brighter Futures program in New South Wales– interim findings

Kathy Tannous, Fiona Hilferty and Megan GriffithsSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Rights of children and kinship foster care in China

Xiaoyuan Shang and Morris Saldov

Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Self-directed care and individual budgets: transformingprovider-centred service systems to person-centredsystems in community care

Vern HughesNational Federation of Parents, Families and Carers


Early childhood, health and developmentChair: Deborah Brennan

Whom do we reach? Exploring health and communityservice use by Australian families with young children

Tamara Blakemore and Megan ShipleyDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

[R] Tensions and challenges in Australia’s early years field:views from the inside

Natasha Cortis and Brian HeadSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW and the Institute forSocial Science Research, University of Queensland

Identifying high quality centre-based childcare usingquantitative data sets: what the numbers do anddon’t tell us

Marianne Fenech, Naomi Sweller and Linda HarrisonInstitute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University and CharlesSturt University

Maternal employment and overweight children: anAustralian study

Anna ZhuSocial Policy Research Centre


Thinking about social inclusionChair: Pooja Sawrikar

Transformative or a new hegemonic discourse?

Kay TurnerSDN Child and Family Services

Resisting ‘class’-based distinctions in a ‘classless’ society?Talking to New Zealanders about social citizenship

Louise HumpageUniversity of Auckland

Perspectives from below the ceiling: conceptualising genderinequality in higher education leadership in the context ofchange.

Joanne PykeVictoria University

Deservingness: perceptions of who has gained inAustralia’s new welfare state

Shaun Wilson, Gabrielle Meagher and Kerstin HermesMacquarie University, University of Sydney, Macquarie University


Young people’s perspectives andexperiencesChair: kylie valentine

I’m just helping out the family: profiling hidden youngcarers

Cathy Thomson, Trish Hill, Ciara Smyth and Bettina CassSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Young people’s experiences of economic adversity

Jen Skattebol and Megan GriffithsSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

“Shit that normal people do”: using young peoples’ voicesto create a qualitative scale for measuring young peoples’progress in treatment

Mandy Wilson, Sherry Saggers, Helen Wildy and Carmen AcostaNational Drug Research Institute, Curtin University ofTechnology, University of Western Australia and MissionAustralia

Young people and the juvenile justice system:a research, policy and practice disconnect?

Jioji Ravulo, Anne Hampshire and Prue BurnsMission Australia


Work and familyChair: Bina Gubhaju

Struggling to keep the balance: work-life experience ofAustralian mothers in paid work between 2000 and 2005

Ibolya LosonczDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

[R] 'The policeman and the part-time sales assistant':household labour supply, family time and subjective timepressure in Australia 1997-2006

Lyn Craig and Killian MullanSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Investing in working families: which policies promote thebest balance of time and money for parents and children?

Michael Bittman and Jenny ChalmersUniversity of New England

International work-family policies: what do they mean forAustralia?

Jennifer Baxter, Jennifer Renda and Matthew GrayAustralian Institute of Family Studies

Full program

WEDNESDAY 8 JULY

17


9:30 am to 11:00 am


Client-centred service deliveryChair: Sandra Gendera

Tensions between purported aims of healthcare policy inAustralia and the delivery of health care services

Connie Donato-Hunt and Ian FlahertyDrug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre

From support to prevention: policies and services for youngcarers

Christiane Purcal, Bettina Cass, Myra Hamilton, Cathy Thomsonand Deborah BrennanSocial Policy Research Centre

Comparative conceptualisation of disability and agedsupport services as a right, intrusion and complement toother support in Australia and Sweden

Carmel Laragy, Karen Fisher and Elisabet CedersundRMIT, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, and JönköpingUniversity


The human services workforceChair: Gabriel Meagher

The non-profit community services workforce: towardscapacity and sustainability

Sharni Chan, Natasha Cortis, Fiona Hilferty and Kathy TannousSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

The para-professionalisation of Australia’s communityservices sector: an analysis of contemporary employmentpatterns

Bob Lonne and Karen HealyQueensland University of Technology and University ofQueensland

How are local or situated knowledge and expertise in thenon-profit sector faring under the purchase-of-servicemodel?

Peri O’Shea, Michael Darcy and Rosemary LeonardSocial Justice & Social Change Research Centre


Dimensions of inclusion/exclusionChair: Sara Graham

Social inclusion through community embedded, sociallysupported university education (CESS)

Peter Howard and Tim MarchantAustralian Catholic University and Mission Australia

Telecommunications and social inclusion:new approaches to accessibility and affordability’

Tony Eardley, Gerard Goggin and Jasmine BruceSocial Policy Research Centre and Journalism and MediaResearch Centre, UNSW

THURSDAY 9 JULY

[R] Can measures of disadvantage perpetuate the problemsthey seek to solve? A discussion of the use of carownership as a variable in multidimensional measures ofdisadvantage

Victoria Johnson, Graham Currie and Janet StanleyMonash University


Identity, language and exclusionChair: Patrick Dodson

[R] How useful is the term ‘culturally and linguisticallydiiverse’ (CALD) in Australian research and policydiscourse?

Pooja Sawrikar and Ilan KatzSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Urban Indigenous Australians: segregation and inclusion

Nicholas BiddleCentre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, AustralianNational University

A policy of exclusion: the 457 visa and its implications formigrant women

Angelica HannanSocial Policy Research Centre

(CLB 5)Open

Disadvantage and children’s rightsChair: Samia Michail

Children’s right to development: how should we interpret‘fullest potential’?

Gerry RedmondSocial Policy Research Centre

The developmental systems framework for developmentalprevention in disadvantaged communities: moving fromsmall scale demonstrations to large scale practice

Ross HomelGriffith Institute for Social and Behavioural Research

The ‘D’ word: responding to disadvantage within a universaland integrated service model for children and families

Sally Cowling and Trish BrownUnitingCare Children, Young People and Families


Families at riskChair: Robyn Edwards

Moving forward: women’s journeys after leaving an abusiverelationship. Implications for policy and practice in Australia

Genevieve Nelson, Kate Spalding, Judith Teicke and MelinaIsgro-RarpThe Benevolent Society

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‘There’s a whole community belongs to this child’: buildingcapacity In Indigenous child protection

Mary IvecDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

Protecting the 'good family': The child discipline debate inNew Zealand

Anita EastonVictoria University of Wellington, New Zealand


Parents and childrenChair: Ching Choi

What event matters? Exploring the relationship betweenstressful events and psychological distress in mothers ofinfants

Annemarie NicolDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

Parenting in place: exploring parenting behaviours andsocioeconomic position in the context of neighbourhoods

Megan Shipley and Tamara BlakemoreDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

The experience of families around diagnosis of a child withAutism Spectrum Disorder: finding from a qualitative study

Marianne Rajkovic and kylie valentineSocial Policy Research Centre

11:00 am to 11:30am Morning tea

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

(CLB 7)Plenary Session

Plenary SessionChair: Bettina Cass

Including the marginalised – social inclusion and Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander peoples

Tom CalmaAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social JusticeCommissioner and Race Discrimination Commissioner,Australian Human Rights Commission


THURSDAY 9 JULY

1:30 pm to 3:30 pm

(CLB 1)Community, social participation and care

Fostering communitiesChair: Deborah Brennan

[R] Creating inclusive rural communities: grass rootsperspectives on the opportunities and challenges

Margot RawsthorneUniversity of Sydney

Transition support: helping older carers and their families –summary of findings

Margaret SkillmanDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

Research to practice in community aged care

Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein and Annette MichauxThe Benevolent Society

[R] Different types of community networks

Jenny Onyx, Nina Burridge and Ellen BakerCosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre,University of Technology. Sydney


Employment for disadvantaged groupsChair: Megan Blaxland

The impact of Mutual Obligation on mature age NewStartAllowance recipients: a program evaluation

Hazel LimNational Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM)

[R] Disability and employment: the interface with incomesupport policies

Greg Marston, Jeremy Moss and Sarah LantzUniversity of Melbourne and University of Queensland

[R] Is career advancement important to disadvantagedjobseekers? Analysis of a large survey of disadvantagedjobseekers

Daniel Perkins, Lauren Tyrrell and Rosanna ScutellaMelbourne Institute and Brotherhood of St Laurence

Workfirst policies and mental health: employment is not amagic bullet

Peter Butterworth and Liana LeachCentre for Mental Health Research, Australian NarionalUniversity

Full program

19


THURSDAY 9 JULY

(CLB 3)Retirement and ageing

Retirement choices and constraintsChair: Myra Hamilton

Which of Australia’s baby boomers expect to delay theirretirement? An occupational overview

Natalie Jackson and Maggie WalterSchool of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania

Towards small area indicators of well-being for olderAustralians: concepts and issues

Riyana Miranti, Alicia Payne and Justine McNamaraNationl Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, University ofCanberra

The Brotherhood’s Social Barometer on Retirement and Ageing

Helen KimberleyBrotherhood of St Laurence

Time Banking for a More Socially Inclusive Retirement

Jill MillerAustralian National University


HomelessnessChair: Killian Mullan

The risk and prevalence of homelessness: implications forresearch and policy

Andrew HollowsHanover Welfare Services

Understanding public perceptions and attitudes tohomelessness in Australia

Deb BatterhamHanover Welfare Services

The experiences of young people: how do their livingarrangements impact?

Anne Hampshire, Kathryn Di Nicola and Susie ScherfMission Australia

Housing agencies’ roles in preparing for and responding tonatural disasters

Stewart Williams and Keith JacobsUniversity of Tasmania


Indigenous identity in social policyresearchChair: Saul Flaxman

Aboriginal mothers as outsiders

Leanne Cutcher and Talila MilroyUniversity of Sydney

[R] Conflict and collaboration: a sociology of knowledgeproduction in the field of Indigenous Studies

Benjamin L. KellyNura Gili Indigenous Programs, UNSW

[R] Indigenous education and social policy development inNSW

Tessa KeenanNura Gili Indigenous Programs, UNSW

Wellbeing and equality in Indigenous policy: is the pursuitof statistical equality compatible with Indigenous wellbeing?

Kirrily Jordan, Hannah Bulloch and Geoff BuchananCentre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, AustralianNational University


Measurement of social inclusion/exclusionChair: Tony Eardley

Investigating the predictors of social and economicinclusion

Peta RafteryAnglicare South Australia

Still doing it tough: an update on deprivation and socialexclusion among welfare service clients

Peter Saunders and Melissa WongSocial Policy Research Centre

Developing an Australian measurement and reportingframework for social inclusion

Joanne Hillermann and John LandtAustralian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Prime Ministerand Cabinet

(CLB 8)Open

Prevention of violence against womenSpecial SessionChair: Gaby Markus

Opening remarks

Gaby MarcusDirector of the Australian Domestic and Family ViolenceClearinghouse, University of New South Wales

Domestic Violence Homicide Review: preventable deaths

Betty GreenNSW Domestic Violence Committee Coalition

Staying home, leaving violence

Ludo McFerran and Robyn EdwardsAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse andSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

‘It really was that I was nuts and therefore it was legitimate!’– the interface between domestic violence and mental health

Lesley LaingUniversity of Sydney

3:30pm to 4:00pm Afternoon tea

4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

20

(CLB 6)

ForumPlanning and delivering services in hardtimesChair: Kristy Muir

Lorna HallahanFlinders University South Australia

Monsignor David CappoChair of the Social Inclusion Board of South Australia and ViceChair of the Australian Social Inclusion Board

David ThompsonCEO of Jobs Australia

Full program

THURSDAY 9 JULY

(Scientia galleries)

ForumThe challenges for social policy infinancial crisis and recessionChair: Peter Whiteford

Wayne VromanSenior Fellow, Urban Institute

Bob GregoryEmeritus Professor of Economics, Australian National University

John QuigginARC Federation Fellow, University of Queensland (via video link)

Clare MartinCEO, Australian Council of Social Services

FRIDAY 10 JULY

9:30 am to 11:00 am


Methodological issues in research withchildren and young peopleSpecial Session

Chair: Ilan Katz

Exploring young carers’ active agency

Ciara Smyth and Samia MichailSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Issues of consent and assent in research with youngchildren

Sue Dockett, Bob Perry and Emma KearneyCharles Sturt University


FamiliesChair: Abi Powell

Welfare to work activity agreements, or how to reducemothers’ autonomy by requiring they do what they arealready doing

Megan BlaxlandSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Families on the fringe: a report on a study of socialexclusion in non-metropolitan communities

Karen Healy, Margot Rawsthorne, Anne Hampshire and AnnetteMichauxUniversity of Queensland, University of Sydney, MissionAustralia and The Benevolent Society

Second class citizens? Single mothers’ reflections on theincome support system under ‘welfare to work’

Teresa GrahameSchool of Social Work and Human Services, University ofQueensland

(CLB 3)Retirement and ageing

Social inclusion in old ageChair: Chris Deeming

Active ageing in Australia: social, civic and communityparticipation of older people

Bettina Cass and Trish HillSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Should poverty be the reward for a life spent caring?

Somali CeriseAustralian Human Rights Commission

Ex-household social contact amongst retired men andwomen in Australia

Roger PatulnySocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW

(CLB 4)Community, social participation and care

Public perceptions and service deliveryChair: Karen Fisher

[R] Impact of the non-inclusive organisation on the deliveryof socially inclusive public services

Kerry WilsonCentre for Cultural Leadership, Liverpool John Moores University

Problems for people with intellectual disability of de-differentiated policies of social inclusion: findings from twostudies of institutional closure

Christine BigbySchool of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University

21


FRIDAY 10 JULY

Inclusion or exclusion? Experiences of people with anintellectual disability in government disability advisory bodies

Patsie FrawleyLaTrobe University Victoria


Partnerships and structures of governmentChair: Cathy Thomson

[R] Missing the forest for the trees: How Australia’s dynamicfederal structures and processes affect the school fundingsettlement.

Bronwyn HinzUniversity of Melbourne

Building sustainable partnerships: Aboriginal community-controlled and generalist organisations learning together

Carolyn Atkins and Lauren MatthewsVictorian Council of Social Service

The impact of the Communities for Children program onpartnerships among service providers

Christiane Purcal, Kristy Muir, Roger Patulny, Cathy Thomson,Saul Flaxman and Catherine SpoonerSocial Policy Research Centre


Factors affecting mental healthChair: Kate Cummings

The impact of job loss on family mental health

Silvia MendoliaSchool of Economics and Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Are separated families worse off? An analysis of mentalhealth, perceptions of safety and alcohol use in married andseparated/divorced families.

Judith PlanitzDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

The impact of drought on mental health and alcohol use

Ben Edwards, Matthew Gray and Boyd HunterAustralian Institute of Family Studies and Centre for AboriginalEconomic Policy Research, Australian National University


Education and social inclusionChair: kylie valentine

[R] The challenge of social inclusion for Australianschooling

Louise WatsonCentre for Research on Education, Poverty and Social Inclusion(CREPSI), Univeristy of Canberra

Life chances and social inclusion in education

Janet Taylor and Nina GeeBrotherhood of St Laurence

The cost of a ‘free’ education: implications for low incomeAustralians

Sharon Bond and Michael HornBrotherhood of St Laurence

11:00 am to 11:30am Morning tea

11:30 am to 12:30 pm

(Leighton Hall)Plenary SessionChair: Deborah Brennan

Farewell to maternalism? State policies, feminist politicsand mothers’ employment

Professor Ann Shola Orloff

Professor of Sociology, Gender Studies and Political Science atNorthwestern University USA, and Chair of the InternationalSociological Association Research Committee 19


2:00 pm to 3:30 pm


Housing and retirementChair: Bettina Cass

Home ownership as a (crumbling) fourth pillar of socialinsurance in Australia

Judith Yates and Bruce BradburyUniversity of Sydney and Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

Contentment and suffering: the impact of Australia’shousing policy and tenure on older Australians

Alan MorrisSchool of Social Sciences and International Studies

Older home-owners and reverse mortgage products: whatare the implications for retirement decisions during aneconomic downturn?

Catherine Bridge, Peter Phibbs, Toni Adams and Mark MathewsAHURI UNSW/UWS Research Centre in partnership withSEQUAL

22


Families’ characteristics and child outcomesChair: Kathy Tannous

The relevance of family characteristics, family transition andconflict in explaining poor outcomes for young adults fromnon-intact families.

Paula Mance and Peng YuDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Services andIndigenous Affairs

The impact of socio-economic background on theassociation between television viewing and developmentaloutcomes among young Australian children

Jude BrownUniversity of New England

Using the ABS Family Characteristics and TransitionsSurvey 2006-07 to map parent-child relationships within andacross dwellings

Heather CrawfordAustralian Bureau of Statistics


Poverty in developing countries/Immigration and policingChair: Melissa Wong

Economic liberalisation and new urban poverty in the globalSouth

Shahadat HossainSchool of Social Sciences and International Studies, UNSW

Towards a consensual poverty line for the Maldives

Asim AhmedVictoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Immigration status, uncertainty and community policing

Leanne Weber and Helen McKernanUniversity of New South Wales and Swinburne University

(CLB 4)Open

Sociology, social inclusion and humanrightsChair: Denise Thompson

A sociology for nation-building and the limits of publicsociology

Sheila ShaverVisiting Fellow, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW

[R] The social exclusion discourse and welfare reform

Beth CookUniversity of Newcastle

Social inclusion and human rights – strange bedfellows onthe road to an authentically Australian inclusion agenda

Helen SzokeChief Conciliator/ Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian EqualOpportunity & Human Rights Commission, Victoria Australia


Stronger familiesChair: Ciara Smyth

The Stronger Families in Australia (SFIA) study of theimpact of Communities for Children

Ben Edwards, Sarah Wise, Matthew Gray, Alan Hayes, Ilan Katz,Sebastian Misson, Roger Patulny and Kristy MuirAustralian Institute of Family Studies and Social Policy ResearchCentre, UNSW

Can area-based interventions work in Australia? Findingsfrom the longitudinal evaluation of Communities for Children

Kristy Muir, Ilan Katz, Christiane Purcal, Roger Patulny, SaulFlaxman, David Abelló, Natasha Cortis, Cathy Thomson, IoanaOprea, Sarah Wise, Ben Edwards, Matthew Gray and AlanHayesSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW, and Australian Instituteof Family Studies

Who are the ‘hard to reach’ client groups and what aresuccessful strategies for engaging them?

Natasha Cortis and Ilan KatzSocial Policy Research Centre

(CLB Breakout space)Identity, diversity and citizenship

Disability research workshopSpecial session sponsored by the Disability Studies andResearch Centre

Chair: Rosemary Kayess and Karen Fisher

A research network for disability academics?

Rosemary KayessDisability Studies and Research Centre and Faculty of Law, UNSW

Full program

FRIDAY 10 JULY

23

Abstracts by author

Note: The symbol [R] before a paper title means that ithas been accepted via a full-paper refereeing process.

DAVID PATRICIA ABELLÓSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Gay treachery and the punishment ofqueersWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 3

‘Same sex’ relationship law reforms are to be enforcedfrom the 1st of July. They are the result of negotiationsbetween the Australian Government and a small group ofmiddle-class, anti-intellectual Labor party members andlobbyists within the ‘gay community’. Their blend ofinfluence, callous disregard and stupidity has haddisastrous effects for over 10,000 Centrelink and DVAbenefit recipients. In taking disadvantage protection offthe bargaining table, the lobbyists have sold out thesepeople for their own vision of ‘gay marriage’ andlifestylism. They do not represent the hundreds ofthousands of queers who outnumber the ‘gay community’,who are uninterested in its culture and maleness, whostruggle against heteronormativity, who shake their headsat the oxymoron of gay marriage, who maintain multiplepartnerships or live in multiple households, or otherwiseuphold their independence in relationships, who rejectabilism and the objectification and idealisation of ‘beauty’,who have invented their own political practice, sense ofcollectivity and kinship systems, who make their ownfetishes and problematise the apparent truth effects ofheteronormative discourse, such as binary sex categories,dependency, romantic love, monogamy and ageism. Theantipathy of these lobbyists of the ‘gay community’towards queers and sex radicals is historical, as thispaper will argue.

ASIM AHMEDVictoria University of Wellington, New [email protected]

Towards a consensual poverty line for theMaldivesFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

This research uses focus groups to determine a minimumincome level for the Maldives. This approach allowspeople to deliberate and discuss their own experiences indeveloping a budget suitable for the social and economic

conditions of the Maldives. This approach overcomes thearbitrariness of the US $ 1 per person per day used bythe World Bank.

Using a qualitative approach to develop a quantitativepoverty line raises a number of conceptual andmeasurement issues that underpin this paper. TheMaldives is an island nation where two thirds of thepopulation live on small atolls. Life in the atolls and in thecapital island Male’ are qualitatively different. People inthe atolls make greater use of own produced goods tomeet many of their daily needs, compared to Male’,resulting in lower average incomes. Existing socialnetworks of extended families and multi-generationalhouseholds provide for considerable intra-familyredistribution of income and resources. Housing costs arealso more important in Male’ than the atolls where there isno housing market. Therefore, how should own producedgoods, exchange of gifts as well as housing be treated incalculating a minimum income?

These issues are analysed as they are the precursors toestablishing a minimum income level and a social welfarescheme for the Maldives. The initial results show that thelimited income inequality especially within rural and urbanareas provides a focus group result that is similar to themajority of the population. The results will be appropriatefor other developing countries where income levels aresimilar and above subsistence level.

CAROLYN ATKINS AND LAURENMATTHEWSVictorian Council of Social [email protected]

Building sustainable partnerships:Aboriginal community-controlled andgeneralist organisations learning togetherFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

Drawing on the learning’s of a recent VCOSS,UnitingCare and Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency(VACCA) forum, this presentation will explore the keyelements of building sustainable and meaningfulpartnerships between Aboriginal community-controlledand mainstream community sector organisations.

As we focus on ‘Closing the Gap’ as a nation, it is vitalthat culturally competent human services are delivered toIndigenous Australians - a key way of achieving this isthrough partnerships between Aboriginal community-controlled and mainstream community sectororganisations. This presentation will explore the key

24

Abstracts by author

elements required in building sustainable and meaningfulpartnerships between these organisations.

This paper initially addresses questions around the valueof Aboriginal community-controlled and mainstreamorganisations developing partnerships. The qualities ofgood partnerships and the partnership process will thenbe explored, as well as a discussion around what isunique about these types of human services partnerships.Examples from the Victorian community sector will bedrawn on to illustrate current partnerships betweenAboriginal community-controlled and generalistorganisation and key learnings from these. Four keyquestions about developing, overcoming stumbling blocksand ultimately sustaining partnerships are explored andthe outcomes of this investigation will be framed in thispaper to provide partnership building hints and strategiesfor human service organisations.

MAUREEN BAKERUniversity of [email protected]

[R] The ‘quintessential problem debtor’?Mother-led households in economic hardtimesWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 1

As the world slides deeper into economic recession, risinglevels of personal and household debt become more of apolicy concern, especially when combined with increasingunemployment and high rates of separation and divorce.While most household debt relates to mortgage costs thatare gradually paid off over time, British research hassuggested that the quintessential ‘problem debtor’ is ayoung single parent living in rental accommodation(Balmer et al 2005). When relationships break down,couples usually divide their marital assets but mostcouples have few assets and considerable debts.Furthermore, the living arrangements, familyresponsibilities and earning capacity of separated mothersand fathers continue to differ substantially. This paperexamines the gendered patterns of family debt in theliberal welfare states, arguing that the socialcircumstances of sole mothers particularly contribute tounmanageable debt levels and reduce their strategies forrecovery. The paper argues that policy strategies need tobetter acknowledge the interconnectedness of problemdebt with relationship breakdown, the challenges of the‘post-divorce family’ and the reduced earning capacityoften related to mothering alone.

SAM BATTAMSFlinders University of South [email protected]

What policy approaches are needed toensure that people with psychiatricdisabilities have access to appropriatehousing?WEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 4

This paper is based on research which considered policyprocesses leading to housing outcomes for people withpsychiatric disabilities. It examined both intersectoralcollaboration between the mental health and housingsectors, and community participation processes leading tohousing outcomes. The South Australian mental healthreform period (2000-2005) was used as a case study.Qualitative research methods were employed andtriangulated across four stages which included; a thematicanalysis of national and state policies in the health,housing and disability sectors, interviews, focus groupsand participant observation with state level NGOs,interviews and focus group with consumer groups andinterviews with professionals from the health, housing anddisability sectors. There were 91 participants, including 39in interviews and focus groups and 52 in participantobservation stages. The study pinpointed a number ofbarriers to ensuring appropriate housing outcomes forpeople with psychiatric disability, including the neo-liberalpolicy context, a lack of coordination across policy sectorsand services, ongoing public sector reform and resistanceto deinstitutionalisation. The focus of this presentation isupon policy responses to promote positive housingoutcomes. These include strategies for intersectoralcollaboration for policy agenda setting andimplementation, addressing community stigma, tacklingprofessional resistance to mental health reform,developing advocacy alliances, providing housing modelswhich address social isolation, and challenging medicaldiscourses on disability.

DEB BATTERHAMHanover Welfare [email protected]

Understanding public perceptions andattitudes to homelessness in AustraliaTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

This paper presents findings from the 2007 AustralianSurvey of Social Attitudes on Homelessness. While manybelieved individual factors led to homelessness (e.g. poor

25


decision making, lack of effort), many also identifiedreasons beyond individual control such as familybreakdown, domestic violence, and shortages ofaffordable housing. Government and public services weremost commonly, but not solely, seen as responsible foraddressing homelessness.

Exploratory principle components analysis revealed anunderlying structure to participants’ responses. Threecomponents or response patterns emerged. Respondentsviewed Homelessness as a problem:

– with external causes requiring government solutions; – of collective responsibility;

– with individual causes, where individuals and theirfamilies held responsibility.

Demographic factors such as age, gender, class,educational attainment and political affiliation wereexplored as predictors of attitudes. While some significantrelationships were found, multiple regression analysisrevealed that these factors explained very little of theoverall variance in attitudes to homelessness. This hasimplications for public opinion research on homelessness,which has focused largely on demographic attributes aspredictors of attitudes.

Hanover Welfare Services is a leading Melbourne-basedprovider of services to people experiencing homelessnessor housing crisis. Attitudes towards homelessness are aprominent component of Hanover’s research agenda.

JENNIFER BAXTER, JENNIFER RENDAAND MATTHEW GRAYAustralian Institute of Family [email protected]

International work-family policies: what dothey mean for Australia?WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 8

It is now generally accepted that governments have animportant role to play in assisting families to successfullymanage their work and caring responsibilities. Supportingthose with caring responsibilities is important from apublic policy perspective for a number of reasonsincluding; the potential negative impact on individual andfamily wellbeing that may occur when the demands ofwork and family are in conflict and the desire to improvegender equity and increase workforce productivity. Thispaper begins by providing a review of work–family policiesthat governments across industrialised countries haveadopted and highlights the diversity in the range of

policies and approaches taken. Then, in order to examinesome of the policies and approaches adopted in othercountries in an Australian context, the ABS 2007 Surveyof Employment Arrangements and Superannuation isused to examine how employed men and women inAustralia differ in their use of family-friendly workingarrangements that are supported or legislated bygovernments in other countries and how this use variesaccording to the nature of caring responsibilities. Theunmet demand for particular working arrangements isalso discussed.

NICHOLAS BIDDLECentre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research,Australian National [email protected]

Urban Indigenous Australians: segregationand inclusionTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

More than three quarters of the Indigenous Australianpopulation live in urban or regional Australia. However,there is a large degree of residential segregation withthose Indigenous Australians who live in urban centressubstantially more likely to live in neighbourhoods withrelatively few non-Indigenous Australians. Furthermore,those urban neighbourhoods that Indigenous Australiansare concentrated in are more likely to have pooremployment prospects, low education attendance, poorquality housing and low levels of volunteering. This paperdocuments the level of residential segregation andsocioeconomic concentration of Indigenous Australians inlarge urban centres. It also looks at some of theprocesses that impact on changes in segregation patternsincluding inter and intra-urban migration. The final part ofthe paper considers the implications of the results forbuilding an inclusive society. The potentially positiveaspects of residential segregation are considered,however the paper also discusses the role of segregationin entrenching socioeconomic disadvantage and thedevelopment of negative stereotypes.

26

Abstracts by author

CHRISTINE BIGBYSchool of Social Work and Social Policy, La [email protected]

Problems for people with intellectualdisability of de-differentiated policies ofsocial inclusion: findings from two studiesof institutional closureFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

Since the 1980s disability policy has been underpinned bynormalisation with institutional closure and establishmentof small group homes as core implementation strategies.Research suggests outcomes have been increasedcommunity presence of people with intellectual disabilityrather than social participation. From the mid 1990s,policy was more strongly influenced by the social modelof disability. Alongside service provision attention turnedto tackling exclusionary social structures and processes.For example, Victorian State Disability Plan 2002-2012goals included building inclusive communities andaccessible public services. This paper presents findings oftwo large mixed methods studies of institutional closure inVictoria that had some similar findings to earlierdeinstitutionalisation studies. Despite the addition ofbroader social change strategies, relocation of peoplefrom institutions to the community led to presence ratherthan participation. We also found some staff grappled withthe meaning of policy goals, interpreting them to becommunity presence, and did not think social participationwas feasible for people with severe intellectual disability.This paper argues that poor outcomes are due to weakimplementation of group home programs, but also policyand implementation strategies pitched at too high a levelof generality that fail to differentiate obstacles to inclusionexperienced by different impairment groups, or toeffectively articulate expected policy outcomes for peoplewith more severe intellectual disability.

MICHAEL BITTMAN AND JENNY CHALMERSUniversity of New [email protected]

Investing in working families: whichpolicies promote the best balance of timeand money for parents and children?WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 8

Raising children takes both time and money. However,given there are a finite number of hours in the day,childcare and paid work compete for parents’ time.

Research shows that the time costs of children are high;employed parents particularly mothers, experience highlevels of objective and subjective time pressure. At thesame time an extensive literature documents a substantial‘motherhood penalty’ in lost earnings and savings over awomen’s life course.

Most policy instruments designed to make raising childrenmore compatible with paid work, have different emphasesand, therefore, different limitations. In some importantrespects market services are not perfect substitutes forparental care. Psychological research suggests thatchildren seem to benefit from their parents’ personalattention in the first year of life. While parental leave mayappear superior to non-parental care, as Gornick andMeyers have pointed out, absences from the labourmarket reduce earnings capacity. This paper reports onpreliminary results from a study that compares cross-national trade-offs between time-use and earnings, toincrease our understanding of the policies that make iteasiest for parents to find time for raising children, whileminimizing the detrimental effects on earnings capacityand savings.

TAMARA BLAKEMORE AND MEGANSHIPLEYDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Whom do we reach? Exploring health andcommunity service use by Australianfamilies with young children

WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 4

International research has identified significant differencesin the patterns of service use by families of differing socio-economic position. However, at present little researchexists within the Australian context that clearly describesdifferences in service use that exist across socio-economic groups for families with young children. Usingdata from waves 1 and 2 of the Longitudinal Study ofAustralian Children this research seeks to understand thepopulations using a range of health and communityservices, exploring the relationship between family socioeconomic position and the use of services for both youngchildren and other family members. Consistent with theexisting literature, the findings of this research identifyfamilies in the lowest socio-economic positions are oftenthe least likely to access a range of preventative andsupportive health and community services and are themost likely to access economic support, crisis oremergency care type services. These findings suggest

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that the relationship between family socio economicposition and service use is not necessarilystraightforward. Further, preliminary investigations into therelationship between the number and type ofdisadvantages families experience and their use ofservices suggest that traditional, global or summarymeasures of disadvantage may present only part of thestory. The type of disadvantage that families experiencemay have important implications for their engagement anduse of services. Findings from this research can make animportant contribution to the knowledge base for thedevelopment of responsive social policy relevant toimproving the lives of families and their children.

MEGAN BLAXLANDSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

[R] Welfare to work activity agreements, orhow to reduce mothers’ autonomy byrequiring they do what they are alreadydoingFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

From 2003, Australians Working Together compelledParenting Payment recipients of teenage children toengage in approved activities in order to remain eligiblefor income support. Australians Working Together wasabandoned for Welfare to Work in 2006, in part becausethere had been little change in Parenting Paymentrecipients’ activities in the preceding years. In this paper,I contend that there was little change in behaviour, notbecause there were too few compulsory measures asargued by the Department of Employment and WorkplaceRelations, but because most parents were alreadyundertaking the kinds of activities that AustraliansWorking Together made compulsory. As a result, whilethe policy did not greatly increase parents’ employment,education or voluntary work, it did reduce parents’autonomy to decide what activities to do when. Welfareto Work further sharply reduces parents’ autonomy.

SHARON BOND AND MICHAEL HORNBrotherhood of St [email protected]

The cost of a ‘free’ education: implicationsfor low income AustraliansFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

Australian schooling presents an oxymoron - it is bothfree and you have to pay for it. In Victoria this relates to anarrow definition of ‘free’ as classroom instruction in

traditional subjects and access to school facilities.However, with public investment below average andexpenditure from the private purse at more than doublethe OECD average, Australian schooling is effectively a‘user pays’ system.

This presentation examines the available data on what itactually costs to send children to school, how this hasincreased relative to the Consumer Price Index; the extentto which government assistance to low income familieshas kept up pace and the practical implications of thesecosts for low income families.

Ensuring that cost is not a barrier to full participation ineducation is an elementary first step for educationalreform and to achieve the 90% Year 12 completion goal.Adopting Sen’s capabilities approach, eliminating theimpact of financial hardship on participation in learning isalso essential in securing the social and economicinclusion of young Australians.

JENNIFER BOWES, LINDA HARRISON,ALAN TAYLOR, NAOMI SWELLER ANDCATHERINE NEILSEN-HEWETTInstitute of Early [email protected]

Child care influences on children’sadjustment and achievement in the firstyear of schoolWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 6

Child Care Choices (CCC) is a study of the child care andearly school experiences of children in urban and ruralAustralia. It focuses on factors that explain differences inchildren’s social-emotional strengths and difficulties,relationships with teachers and peers, feelings aboutschool, learning skills, and achievements in literacy andnumeracy in the first year of school. CCC used multiplerespondents (parents, teachers, children, researchassistants) and mixed methods (questionnaires,interviews, observations, assessments) over six annualwaves of data collection. Results for 12 outcomes atschool-age are presented, based on regression analysesusing multiple imputation datasets containing 344 cases.Child care experiences as toddlers and preschoolers werefound to be important predictors of outcomes at school-age. Longer hours and more multiple or changeable carearrangements were associated with poorer adjustment.Poorer socio-emotional and relationship outcomes werepredicted by behaviour problems, negative socialinteraction towards peers, and less positive relationshipswith carers during earlier development and child care

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Abstracts by author

experience. The paper concludes that early schoolsuccess is supported by the relationships children formwith others and the learning opportunities they experiencein good quality child care, but diminished by extensiveamounts or instability of care.

ROCHELLE BRAAF AND EMILY HAMILTONAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse,[email protected]

Addressing abused women’s financialsecurity: securing safer outcomesWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 1

Domestic violence can have a crippling effect on women’sfinancial security, preventing many women from leavingviolent situations and forcing some women to return tothese relationships due to hardship. The individual andinterconnected contributions of domestic violence tovictims’ poverty, unemployment, homelessness, healthproblems, diminished confidence and self esteem make ita key driver of women’s social exclusion. This paper willreport on initial findings of a one year project beingconducted by the Australian Domestic and FamilyViolence Clearinghouse, that examines ways ofsupporting abused women to become financially secure.The project is investigating barriers and avenues tofinancial security for women affected by domestic violence(pre and post separation). The study is especiallyconcerned with identifying practical strategies that willpromote women’s financial security, and working withservices and agencies to further develop and implementthese. The project is being conducted across threeAustralian States, involving interviews/focus groups withwomen clients and services.

CATHERINE BRIDGE, PETER PHIBBS,TONI ADAMS AND MARK MATHEWSAHURI UNSW/UWS Research Centre in partnership [email protected]

Older home-owners and reverse mortgageproducts: what are the implications forretirement decisions during an economicdownturn?FRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

Reverse mortgages are technically available to home-owners who are 60 years or older. Older home-ownerscan borrow between 15% and 40% of the value of their

home. Residential property represents the largest singleasset class of older Australians with a potentially largemarket potential. However the Reverse Mortgage markethas suffered with the international capital market crisismaking liquidity difficult. This paper reports on the resultsof a research project funded by the Australian Housingand Urban Research Institute into ‘Reverse mortgagesand older people: Growth factors and implications forretirement decisions’. It covers the beliefs of lenders,reverse mortgage practitioners and older borrowers interms of what they belief to be growth factors. Theresearch integrates findings from a systematicinternational literature review, online survey with mortgagepractitioners, older persons focus groups and interviewswith bankers and older people across New South Wales,Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria.Understanding the policy implications was a specific focusof the research.

JUDE BROWNUniversity of New [email protected]

The impact of socio-economic backgroundon the association between televisionviewing and developmental outcomesamong young Australian childrenFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

The impact of television viewing on young children hasreceived considerable attention. On the one handtelevision viewing is promoted as an importanteducational and recreational tool particularly as it enablesparents to engage in other tasks while children remainoccupied. On the other hand television viewing has beenidentified as being potentially deleterious to youngchildren’s neurological, cognitive, social and physicaldevelopment. One potentially important mechanism bywhich television is thought to impact negatively onchildren’s development is through the displacement ofother developmentally important activities such as readingor play. However, it is well known that outcomes forchildren differ quite markedly depending on their socialeconomic background. Thus the relationships betweentelevision viewing and child outcomes may differ betweendifferent social strata.

Using time use data from Waves 1 and 2 of theLongitudinal study of Australian Children (LSAC), thisstudy seeks to examine the associations betweendevelopmentally important activities and television useamong young Australian children and in turn consider howthese activities impact upon key developmental outcomes.

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PETER BUTTERWORTH AND LIANA LEACHCentre for Mental Health Research, Australian [email protected]

Workfirst policies and mental health:employment is not a magic bulletTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

Background: People who are unemployed generally havepoorer physical and mental health than those who areemployed. However, research (largely cross sectional)has shown that the health of those in poor quality jobs issimilar or worse than those who are unemployed. Thisstudy uses longitudinal data to examine whethertransitions in employment status and job quality areassociated with changes in physical and mental health,and whether moving from unemployment to work isuniversally associated with improvement in mental andphysical health regardless of job quality.

Method: Random- and fixed-effects models were used toanalyse 6 waves of data from the Household Income andLabour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. We follow7843 respondents aged between 20 and 60 throughlabour-force transitions and changes in the psychosocialaspects of job quality including security, marketability andjob strain (demands and control).

Results: Compared to those in optimal jobs, those in thepoorest quality jobs (insecurity, low marketability and highjob strain) and those who were unemployed reportedsignificantly poorer mental health, and did not differ. Whilethose moving from unemployment to good quality jobsshowed an improvement in mental health, moving fromunemployment to the poorest quality jobs was associatedwith a significant decline in mental health.

Conclusions: These findings raise questions about thepersonal benefits of workfirst policies and show that policymakers need to be aware that the benefits fromemployment may be dependent on the quality of work.

BETTINA CASS AND TRISH HILLSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Active ageing in Australia: social, civicand community participation of olderpeopleFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

This paper presents an investigation of the links betweenthe well-being of older people in Australia, and theirparticipation in economic, social and community life. The

paper identifies the key risk and protective factors relatingto economic and social participation and activeengagement in social networks of older people and theircarers. The study analyses the ways in which olderpeople’s social and economic participation may bemaintained and supported. Drawing on an analysis of theABS General Social Survey 2006, this paper presents aconceptual framework for understanding the risk andprotective factors associated with various dimensions ofsocial participation. The findings of the analysis show thatthere are positive associations between, on the one hand,social contact, social support, and social, cultural, civicand community participation, and on the other hand goodhealth, education, income, access to transport, andperceptions of safety. There is also a positiveinterrelationship between networks of mutual support,care and voluntary work and the maintenance of socialparticipation by older people.

SOMALI CERISEAustralian Human Rights [email protected]

Should poverty be the reward for a lifespent caring?FRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

Over the last two decades, there has been a strong publicpolicy focus on superannuation as a means to provideincome during retirement and reduce reliance on the AgePension. However, the linking of the currentsuperannuation exclusively to paid work disadvantageswomen and other groups with marginal labour forceattachment. Women are more likely to have broken paidwork patterns due to caring responsibilities and havelower life-time earnings due to pay inequity. As a result,there is a significant disparity between the retirementsavings and retirement income of men and women.Current figures show that women’s superannuationbalances are less than half of those of men. With womengenerally retiring earlier and living longer than men, thereare a number of serious implications stemming from thegender inequality in retirement savings. Many women,after a life spent in unpaid caring work, face prospects offinancial insecurity and poverty in retirement, often solelyrelying on the Age Pension.

This paper will outline some of the Australian HumanRights Commission’s contributions to public discussionsand policy developments in the area of women'sretirement savings. The paper will conclude by raisingsome potential policy proposals to increase women’sfinancial security in retirement.

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Abstracts by author

BETH COOKUniversity of [email protected]

[R] The social exclusion discourse andwelfare reformFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

Since the McClure report on welfare reform in 2000, thediscourse of social inclusion/exclusion has been used asa justification for welfare reform in Australia. The RuddLabor Government espouses social inclusion as a focusof policy and has established the Social Inclusion Unitand the Australian Social Inclusion Board to develop andimplement policies and strategies to achieve socialinclusion.

Social inclusion requires that people have sufficientfinancial and other resources to participate in economic,social, cultural and political life. Against the backdrop ofhigh and persistent rates of labour underutilisation thathave excluded large numbers of Australians fromadequate access to paid work and using the conceptualframework of social exclusion developed by Levitas(2005) this paper seeks to investigate how the reality ofwelfare reform has conformed to the ideal of facilitatingsocial inclusion? Welfare reforms are examined againstthe three discourses of social exclusion: theredistributionist discourse (RED), the Moral underclassdiscourse (MUD) and the social integrationist discourse(SID). The paper concludes that the dominant discoursesguiding welfare reform policies in Australia are moralunderclass and social integrationist.

NATASHA CORTIS AND ILAN KATZSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Who are the ‘hard to reach’ client groupsand what are successful strategies forengaging them?FRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

Reaching and engaging those most marginalised fromsociety and from service systems is a persistent problemin community service delivery and design. Thispresentation explores how a sample of child and familyservice providers in Australia defined ‘hard to reach’ clientgroups the challenges they encountered reaching out tothose groups and the strategies they used to addressthose challenges. Conducted as part of the NationalEvaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities

Strategy, interviews with project leaders show that serviceproviders’ perceptions of which groups are ‘hard to reach’depends on service and community context. Many clientgroups including young parents, fathers, culturally diversefamilies and those who are socially and geographicallyisolated were considered ‘hard to reach’. Howeverservice providers found it most difficult to engageIndigenous families. Reach and engagement strategiesincluded developing ‘soft’ entry points; embeddinginterventions in universal services; building relationshipsand formal partnerships with other services; andemploying workers from target communities. Particularchallenges included identifying ‘hidden’ populations;working with clients experiencing extreme adversity; andensuring the quality and continuity of staff necessary forsuccessful relationship building. These findings helpclarify which groups of users are most likely to achieveoutcomes and who may be missing out; ‘what works’ withdifferent populations and in different service andcommunity contexts; and how targeting and engagementstrategies across the human services might be improved.

NATASHA CORTIS AND BRIAN HEADSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW, and the Institutefor Social Science Research, University of [email protected]

[R] Tensions and challenges in Australia’searly years field: views from the insideWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 4

Traditionally private responsibilities for mothers andfamilies, early childhood health, development and carehave emerged as legitimate objects of public policy incontemporary welfare states. But despite renewed publicinterest and commitment, the early years field in Australiaremains complex and contested. With the sectorconsidered poorly co-ordinated and under-resourcedcompared with many other wealthy countries, the nextstage of attempted reform may risk exacerbating a seriesof system-level tensions and challenges.

In this paper, we use interview findings to take stock ofearly years policy in Australia, identify some currentchallenges, and outline some principles for change. Weshow that while developments in the field have beenspurred by advances in research evidence, sustainedadvocacy and the renewal of government commitment,progress remains compromised by unresolved tensionsaround the goals and vision of the system, fragmentedsystem design, unsustainable resourcing, and an unstableservice delivery workforce.

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SALLY COWLING AND TRISH BROWNUnitingCare Children, Young People and [email protected]

The ‘D’ word: responding to disadvantagewithin a universal and integrated servicemodel for children and familiesTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

The national policy debate on effective service provisionfor children and families is increasingly framed in terms ofdeveloping a system of ‘universal and integrated’services. We argue that the currency of the phrase masksan emerging tension around the place of socio-economicdisadvantage in decisions about how, why and wheresuch services are delivered. For some, universalityimplies uniformity and limits our capacity to make adifference in communities with a higher concentration ofrisk factors. For others, a focus on disadvantage andsocial inclusion in the policy discourse has seen welfareimperatives dominate an approach which should providequality early education and care programs to all childrenas a right of citizenship.

In this paper we explore the causes of these tensions inAustralian policy debates about if and how universal,targeted and specialist intervention services can beintegrated. We review how responses to risk anddisadvantage have been cultivated in established servicemodels in the United Kingdom and Europe and the extentto which these have involved approaches which areuniversal but area-based. Finally, we consider whatAustralian policy makers can learn from the internationalexperience to facilitate the shift to a universal preventionapproach which can effectively engage with families andcommunities experiencing disadvantage and respond tothe need for more intensive or specialist support services.

LYN CRAIG AND KILLIAN MULLANSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

[R] 'The policeman and the part-time salesassistant': household labour supply,family time and subjective time pressurein Australia 1997-2006WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 8

This paper explores associations between social andpolicy context and how parents of young children allocatetime to work and family, using data from the AustralianBureau of Statistics (ABS) Time Use Survey (TUS) 1997

and 2006. Over the period, Australia‘s economy wasgrowing and unemployment was low. Family tax policyfavoured single income or ‘modified male-breadwinner’households, and part time work was the most common‘family-friendly’ workplace measure. Against thisbackground, we investigate the market labour supply andintra-household time use of mothers and fathers incouple-headed households with at least one child aged 0– 4 years (N=772 in 1997 and 652 in 2006). We identifyassociations between household labour supply and total(paid and unpaid) work, the way paid work, domesticlabour and childcare is divided between mothers andfathers, and their subjective feelings of time pressure, ateach time point. We find that by 2006, there was loweraverage maternal market work and a higher proportion offamilies with young children conformed to the one-and-a-half earner family form than in 1997. In the main therewas increased total household work, increased genderspecialisation in paid work and caring labour, and muchhigher subjective time pressure, especially for fathers andthe relatively few mothers who were employed full time.

HEATHER CRAWFORDAustralian Bureau of [email protected]

Using the ABS Family Characteristics andTransitions Survey 2006-07 to map parent-child relationships within and acrossdwellings

FRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

Most statistics about families are based on the notion of afamily unit that is constructed using information about therelationships between individuals within a dwelling. It hasbeen observed by researchers and commentators that'where parents have repartnered after separation,[stepparent-child] relationships often cross householdboundaries' (Qu and Weston, 2005). The AustralianBureau of Statistics Family Characteristics Survey isacknowledged as a key source of data about step andblended families derived from relationships betweenindividuals within the dwelling. This paper describes howthe Family Characteristics Survey also captures someinformation about parent-child relationships across dwellings.The paper then goes on to illustrate how informationabout parent-child relationships both within and acrossdwellings collected as part of the Family Characteristicsand Transitions Survey 2006-07 can be analysed toobtain more detailed information about the diversity ofparent-child relationships and their living situations.

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Abstracts by author

LEANNE CUTCHER AND TALILA MILROYUniversity of [email protected]

Aboriginal mothers as outsidersTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

In this paper we seek to show how media reports aboutpublic policy outcomes reinforce negative stereotypes ofAboriginal mothers. In order to do this we examine mediareports relating to the introduction of the 1912 MaternityAllowance and the 2004 Maternity Allowance. Throughanalysis of media reports about the introduction of the twoschemes we show how the ‘everyday text’ of the media(van Dijk 1992) has perpetuated negative constructions ofwhat it means to be an Aboriginal mother that do notreflect the way in which many Aboriginal women aremothered and mother.

We see in the way that Aboriginal mothers are portrayedin the media accounts in 1912 and in 2004-8 a deepseated fear about racial purity. We show how the 2004maternity allowance, and its earlier iteration in 1912,reinforced the construction of women as ‘citizen-mother’(Lake, 1992; Curtin 2003) a construction that has historicallyexcluded ‘black’ mothers and labelled them as ‘outsiders’.

PETER DAVIDSONAustralian Council of Social Service and post-graduatestudent, Social Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The wheel turns again – recession, longterm unemployment and public policyWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 2

The social policy response to the economic downturn hasfocused so far on recently retrenched workers and schoolleavers entering the labour market. Within a few years,long term unemployment is likely to attract the attention ofpolicy makers. This cannot come too soon. Long termunemployment is a key source of poverty, social exclusionand reliance on income support - including DSP andparenting payments as well as Newstart Allowance.

Two year after the 1991 recession, the number of longterm recipients of Newstart Allowance rose from 217,000to 451,000 people. Fifteen years later it has still not fallento pre 1990s-recession levels. What can we learn frompolicies to reduce long term unemployment since the lastrecession and what are the prospects for success thistime?

The presentation will profile long term unemployed andjobless people on income support, and briefly assess theeffectiveness of employment assistance and incomesupport policies such as vocational training, workexperience, benefit levels and compliance policies. It willthen examine the likely impact of the current suite ofpolicies including the new employment services systemthat replaces the Job Network.

DAVID DE VAUS, MATTHEW GRAY, LIXIAQU AND DAVID STANTONLa Trobe University, Australian Institute of Family Studiesand Australian National [email protected]

The effect of relationship breakdown onpoverty and social exclusion:the impact of stability of income andcontrol over household expenditureWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 1

One of the important pathways into poverty and socialexclusion for families with dependent children isrelationship breakdown. Most research into the impact ofrelationship breakdown on economic wellbeing hasfocused on equivalent household income and thelikelihood of experiencing income poverty. However, whileincome measures are correlated with the experience offinancial hardship and perceived prosperity, there aredifferences. Preliminary analysis of Australian longitudinaldata reveals that a significant proportion of mothers reporta lower rate of financial hardship and higher levels ofperceived prosperity despite their equivalent householdincome being reduced following relationship breakdown.

This paper uses data from the first seven waves of HILDAto explore possible explanations for this finding. Theseinclude changes in the stability of income pre and postseparation and the extent to which post-separation theresident mother has greater control over the managementof the households’ expenditure and management of money.

This research has important implications forunderstanding the impact of relationship breakdown onpoverty and social exclusion. It also has implications forpolicies aimed at increasing employment rates of motherpost-separation and for the equivalence scale literature,which generally assumes that income is allocated acrossall household members.

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SUE DOCKETT, BOB PERRY AND EMMAKEARNEYCharles Sturt [email protected]; [email protected]

Issues of consent and assent in researchwith young childrenFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 1

Informed agreement to participate in research is a criticalelement of ethical practice. Inviting adults to participate inresearch involves sharing information about the specificproject, providing opportunities for potential participants toask questions, think about the research and then make adecision. When researching with children, such opportunitiesare often afforded to adult gatekeepers, yet not necessarilyextended to the children involved. While there is a clearlegal position in terms of obtaining informed parentalconsent, this should not negate the importance of seekingchildren’s informed assent to participate in research.

This paper reports an ongoing approach to engaging withchildren in research, emphasising strategies to facilitatechildren’s informed, and ongoing, assent within theresearch process. In particular, we note the developmentof a range of information sheets for children as part of aproject seeking children’s input about their localcommunities. The responses of over 100 children (aged 4to 12 years) to this information, and the ways in which itwas presented and discussed, form the data for thispaper. The paper concludes with a consideration ofethical tensions inherent in research with children, andimplications for research.

CONNIE DONATO-HUNT AND IANFLAHERTYThe Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education [email protected]

[R] Tensions between purported aims ofhealthcare policy in Australia and thedelivery of health care servicesTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 1

The approach of many drug and alcohol (D&A) treatmentservices in Australia relies heavily upon Anglo-centricmodels of healthcare. However, there are policies forhealthcare delivery in New South Wales (NSW) whichclearly outline the inclusive principles by which servicesmust conduct their business. These policies underpinclaims that the Australian system guarantees universalityof healthcare. The lived experience of many people from

CALD backgrounds is, however, starkly at odds with suchclaims making. In this paper we explore how there isdiscrepancy between NSW policies outlining equity ofaccess to services, and actual D&A service delivery. Welook at two studies of worker practices and attitudesregarding CALD clients. These were both conducted bythe Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Centre (DAMEC), onein 1997 and a pilot in 2007. Key issues emerging werethe underutilisation of interpreter services and attitudestowards including non-English speaking people amongservice's client populations. Comparisons highlight thatthere was little change from 1997 to 2007. The possibleunderlying reasons are discussed and recommendationsare made for policy and practice that will better meet theneeds of people from CALD backgrounds when they seekhelp for substance use issues

TONY EARDLEY, GERARD GOGGIN ANDJASMINE BRUCESocial Policy Research Centre and Journalism and MediaResearch Centre, [email protected]

Telecommunications and social inclusion:new approaches to accessibility andaffordabilityTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

New forms of telecommunication can benefit both nationaleconomies and individuals. There is also evidence thatlower-income groups can benefit particularly from accessto mobile phones, through improved work and productivitygains. Social benefits are also important, includingmaintenance of familial links and enhancement of socialcapital. However, affordability remains a problem. InAustralia, although the notional cost of mobile phoneusage has fallen, expenditure on telecommunications hasbeen growing and placing strain on some family budgets.

Access to these technologies, particularly broadbandconnections, is also still inequitable, as is the digitalliteracy necessary to make use of them. However, theconcept of the ‘digital divide’ is less useful in thetechnological context than that of ‘social exclusion’, asdigital exclusion tends to follow and reinforce existingsocial inequalities. There is evidence that astelecommunications usage becomes normal practice for amajority, those unable to access or use thesetechnologies become further disadvantaged, particularlywhere many public and government services areincreasingly moving online.

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Abstracts by author

The paper draws on a review of the Australian andinternational literature on the relationship betweentelecommunications and community wellbeing,commissioned by Telstra’s Low Income MeasuresAssessment Committee. It discusses access andaffordability issues for disadvantaged groups in thecontext of rapid technological change, and benchmarksTelstra’s Access for Everyone social tariff package againstthose in other comparable countries. We conclude withrecommendations for taking forward practice and policydebates on access and affordability.

ANITA EASTONVictoria University of Wellington, New [email protected]

Protecting the ‘good family’: The childdiscipline debate in New ZealandTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

In 2005, after decades of campaigning, New Zealandstarted the legislative process to remove the explicit legalprotection of parental physical discipline. The publicdebate that resulted was divisive and politically significant,as it crystallised the division between conservative Christianand socially liberal forces; as well as providing a focus forresistance to government intervention within the home.

This paper examines the hypothesis that the core of thedebate was not parental discipline; instead it provided aforum to debate the nature and role of family, and therelationship between the state and the home. Layeredapproaches drawn from corpus linguistics and discourseanalysis, as well as interviews with key campaigners,shed light on the construction of the family used bycompeting campaigns.

All campaigners on the surface argued that ‘good’ familiesshould be protected from state intervention andintervention was required to protect children from abusewithin ‘bad’ families. This obscured the deep dividebetween campaigners about the nature of a ‘good’ family;with a conservative model of the married heterosexualcouple contrasting with a liberal model which ignored theform of the family and focused on liberal behaviours.

This poses the key question, how can policy processesaddress hidden cultural contention?

BEN EDWARDS, MARIO FIORINI ANDMATT TAYLORAustralian Institute of Family Studies and University ofTechnology, [email protected]

Does it matter at what age children startschool in Australia? Investigating theeffects of school starting age on six-yearold children’s outcomesWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 6

In April 2004 the Ministerial Council on Education,Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA)agreed to implement a uniform national school startingage by 2010. A report that focused on the monetary andcosts of implementing a common school starting age wasproduced, but it did not consider the impact of changes onschool starting age for children’s development.

In this presentation we examine the causal impacts ofschool starting age in Australia.

Previous empirical research in this area suggests thatchildren who start school later do better than earlyentrants. However, some parents might not comply withstate entrance cut-offs, delaying or anticipating schoolentry based on theirs or their children’s characteristics.Therefore, a positive correlation between age at schoolentry and school tests does not imply that late schoolentry causes better learning.

To address this issue we use data from 6 year olds in theLongitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). We usevariation in compulsory school starting ages in the statesand territories to model the causal effect of school startingage. The key point to understand here is that one monthdifference in age can mean that children in one state startschool one year later. Importantly, this discontinuity inschool starting ages is independent of other child andfamily characteristics.

We find that school starting age is correlated withchildren’s cognitive but not social emotional outcomes.However, when we use predicted school entry fromcompulsory school starting ages to estimate the causaleffect of school starting age, there is clear evidence of aneffect for the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test but not forMatrix Reasoning. We discuss the potential implications ofthese results for understanding child development andpublic policies on school starting age.

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BEN EDWARDS, MATTHEW GRAY ANDBOYD HUNTERAustralian Institute of Family Studies and Centre forAboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian [email protected]

The impact of drought on mental healthand alcohol useFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

The most recent drought has been one of the mostsevere on record with large parts of southern and easternAustralia experiencing dry conditions since 1996. Therehave been few large studies that examine the impact ofdrought upon the mental health and alcohol use of peopleliving in regional and rural areas of Australia or otherdeveloped countries.

We use the Rural and Regional Families study, a cross-sectional study of 8,000 people from rural and regionalareas of Australia that interviewed people in areas thatwere in severe drought, drought, below average andabove average rainfall. We compare working age peoplewho were in drought (as defined by rainfall and also selfreport) to those that were not in drought. We useregression models to adjust for demographics that wouldnot be expected to be affected by drought to estimate theimpact of drought on the mental health problems, mentalhealth, anti-depressant use for stress and alcohol use.

One of the primary mechanisms by which mental healthand alcohol abuse problems arise during and after adrought is through the financial impact associated withdecreased agricultural productivity in rural areas. Whilethe drought of 2002-2007 had significant negativeeconomic impact on the Australian economy it hadparticularly large effects on financial hardship in regionsaffected - especially among farmers (Edwards et al.2009). We discuss our findings of the impact of droughton mental health and alcohol use in this context and thepossible policy implications.

BEN EDWARDS, SARAH WISE, MATTHEWGRAY, ALAN HAYES, ILAN KATZ,SEBASTIAN MISSON, ROGER PATULNYAND KRISTY MUIRAustralian Institute of Family Studies and Social PolicyResearch Centre, [email protected]

The Stronger Families in Australia (SFIA)study of the impact of Communities forChildrenFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

Locational disadvantage is of increasing interest asinternational and Australian studies have shown that livingin a disadvantaged community can have negativeconsequences for children’s development. Few area-based interventions have been developed to address thisissue, a notable exception in the UK is Sure Start LocalPrograms which has reported some positive outcomes. InAustralia, the Communities for Children (CfC) initiative isan area-based strategy designed to promote better child,family and community outcomes. CfC was funded underthe Australian Government’s Stronger Families andCommunities Strategy (SFCS) 2004-2008. It waspreviously unknown whether a placed-based initiative, likeCfC, would work in Australia.

This paper presents the results of the Stronger Families inAustralia (SFIA) survey, which was a major component ofthe CfC evaluation. The survey was a three-wavelongitudinal study of 2,202 families living in 10 sites thathad a CfC program and five sites that did not have a CfCprogram but were in other ways comparable to the CfCsites (contrast sites). The paper will discuss theevaluation methodology, statistical estimation and results.

Overall, there is evidence that CfC programs had somepositive impacts (fewer children were living in a joblesshousehold and parenting practices were improved). Thereis some evidence of a negative impact on some healthoutcomes but it is unclear whether this reflects an actualdeterioration.

The analysis also examined the effectiveness of the CfCintervention for more disadvantaged groups such ashouseholds that were hard-to-reach, had lower income orlower education. The paper will compare these results toother early childhood interventions and discuss someimplications.

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Abstracts by author

MARTIN EVANS AND LEWIS WILLAMSDepartment of Social Policy and Social Work, Universityof [email protected]

[R] A generation of change, a lifetime ofdifference? Model lifetime analysis ofchanges in the British Welfare State since1979WEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 5

This paper introduces research that will be published in abook, ‘A Generation of Change, A Lifetime of Difference?British social policy since 1979’, in September 2009. Theresearch employs a series of lifetime simulations toexamine the changes in taxation and social securityprovision since 1979 in Britain, using the LifetimeOpportunities and Incentives Simulation (LOIS) to profilehypothetical individuals who live their whole lives underthe rules in place at three points in time: 1979, 1997 and2008. These three years are taken to represent thecumulative changes in policy that have been taken bythree differing political approaches to social policy. 1979represents the culmination of ‘Old Labour’ – a left socialdemocratic approach; 1997 represents the culmination of18 years of right-wing Conservative governments underthe Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and John Majorand 2008 represents the culmination of 11 years of ‘NewLabour’ under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Threehypothetical families are used to produce lifetime profilesand each is based on contemporary levels of earnings foreach year: the Meades are median earners, The Mooresare twice median earners and the Lowes earn 50 percentof median earnings. The paper outlines the methodologyof ‘model lifetime’ and demonstrates the differences ininputs and outputs from taxes and benefits for eachmodel family over their hypothetical lifetime for bothcomparison years and shows outcomes for poverty.

MARIANNE FENECH, NAOMI SWELLERAND LINDA HARRISONInstitute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University andCharles Sturt [email protected]

Identifying high quality centre-basedchildcare using quantitative data sets: whatthe numbers do and don’t tell usWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 4

That the quality of centre based childcare impacts onchildren’s developmental outcomes is well established.

Currently, how to more effectively promote and monitorquality in centre based care is a priority of the Australianand state/territory governments (Commonwealth ofAustralia, 2008). Penn and Lloyd (2007) note that indeveloping early childhood policy, policy makers are mostreceptive to the scientific evidence offered by quantitativestudies. In this paper, however, we argue that evidencefrom both quantitative and qualitative approaches toquality offers a stronger platform to inform thedevelopment of policy such as the National QualityFramework for early childhood education and care.

For this purpose, we draw on preliminary findings from anAustralian Research Council Discovery funded multi-phased project. This project is taking a mixed-methodsapproach to investigate elements that determine andsustain quality in Australian centre based childcare. In thispaper, we present longitudinal data for 74 centres andconsider the utility of three approaches – externalobservation measures used internationally(ECERS/ITERS), Australia’s national system ofaccreditation (QIAS), and staff perspectives – to identifyhigh quality centres and the elements that support highquality. How findings can inform the development of theNational Quality Framework will be discussed.

KAREN FISHER, XIAOYUAN SHANG ANDLI ZHENGANGSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The absent role of the State: analysis ofsocial support to older people withdisability in rural ChinaTUESDAY 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, ARCADE ROOM

China is experiencing rapid population ageing. Already ithas 44 million older people with disability (OPWD agedover 59 years) (OSCNSSD 2007). Social support ofOPWD in China has not been systematically researchedinside or outside China. This article will apply a disabilityrights framework in four domains (right to protection;economic security; social support; and social participation)to analyse local cases from South China.

The main argument of the article is that although thefamily is still the main provider of economic and caresupport to older people with disabilities, the absent role ofthe state in welfare provision to older people withdisability in rural China has negative impacts thewellbeing of rural families, both on the older and youngergeneration. The social rights of older people with disability

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cannot be realized without the support from the state.Because older people heavily rely on financial and caresupport from their children, the family of the youngergeneration is over burdened in their financial situation,and physical and mental health. The ageing population inChina requires a new development in the Chinese welfarestate which strengthens the role of the state in old ageand disability support in rural areas. The research isbased on field work with older people over 80s in aShanxi county. The research methods include a smallscale questionnaire and in-depth interviews with over 80old people, most of whom have disabilities.

PATSIE FRAWLEYLaTrobe University [email protected]

Inclusion or exclusion? Experiences ofpeople with an intellectual disability ingovernment disability advisory bodiesFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

Government and service providers have for a number ofyears involved people with an intellectual disability indecision making about policy through consultation andparticipation on committees. This study aimed to find outhow people with an intellectual disability experience thisrole and what mediates these experiences.

This qualitative study positioned people with anintellectual disability as the experts about their ownexperiences by relying primarily on their first personaccounts of their experiences. Ethnographic and casestudy methods were employed to describe theseexperiences. A thematic analysis led to the developmentof a typology of participation.

The study found that structures and the processes usedby advisory bodies can mediate people’s experiences,however more significantly, the experiences of people withintellectual disability are shaped by their perception ofhow they are regarded by others. Central to this is theefficacy of support based on the development ofcollegiate relationships. The study concluded that citizenparticipation bodies have not fully recognised the personaland political potential of members with an intellectualdisability. It presents evidence that people with anintellectual disability are capable of this form ofparticipation, can provide legitimate and informedperspectives on policy and can engage meaningfully.

TERESA GRAHAMESchool of Social Work and Human Services, University [email protected]

Second class citizens? Single mothers’reflections on the income support systemunder ‘welfare to work’FRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

The implementation of ‘welfare to work’ policies from July2006 has resulted in a substantial shift in how singlemothers experience the income support system inAustralia. The changes include that most single parentson income support whose youngest child has startedschool (aged 6 or 7) must be employed or looking for paidwork of at least 15 hours per week. These policies areunderpinned by financial sanctions for those that do notcomply and lower benefits being paid to all single motherswho have claimed a payment since July 2006 if theiryoungest child is aged eight or over.

This presentation will report on initial findings frominterviews undertaken in the second half of 2008 with 21Brisbane single mothers, most of whom have experiencedthe sharp transition in the income support payment rules.I argue that the new administrative requirementsunderpinned by the legislation construct a negativeidentity of single mothers which frames them as ‘secondclass citizens’. His is at best experienced as an irritation,and at worst a threat to the autonomy and general well-being of single mothers. This research represents thePhD component of a broader study: ‘150 Low IncomeAustralians’ which is funded by the Australian ResearchCouncil and Jobs Australia.

BETTY GREENNSW Domestic Violence Committee [email protected]

Domestic Violence Homicide Review:preventable deathsTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 8

On average up to 58% of murders committed in Australiaare intimate partner homicides. In March 2006 the NSWDomestic Violence Committee Coalition was formed inresponse to the increased number of domestic violencemurders of women in NSW. The DV Coalition hasconsistently advocated for the establishment of aDomestic Violence Homicide Review to help understandwhy women die, and help prevent further deaths.

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Abstracts by author

When domestic violence related deaths are seen as theescalation of a predictable pattern of behaviours withincreasing risk factors, then domestic violence homicidescan be viewed as preventable deaths. There is much tolearn from overseas jurisdictions where HomicideReviews have been established, in some cases from1994. Currently Victoria and New South Wales are theonly states in Australia that have announced theestablishment of a domestic violence homicide review.

This paper will explore the concept of a domestic violencehomicide review and what differences the process canmake including strengthening policing and criminal justicesystems, establishing new practices and understandingsin responding to domestic violence and the capacity toencourage interdisciplinary collaboration and conversation.

ANNE HAMPSHIRE, KATHRYN DI NICOLAAND SUSIE SCHERFMission [email protected]

The experiences of young people: how dotheir living arrangements impact?THURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

In 2008, over 45,500 young Australians aged 11 to 24years participated in the seventh annual Mission Australiasurvey of young Australians. Three hundred and seventyfive respondents were homeless young people and onehundred and thirty five were in foster care, with theremainder predominantly living with family, in a sharehouse or alone.

This presentation will provide data from the 2008 surveyregarding what young people value, what concerns them,where they go for advice and support and who theyadmire, broken down into three groups – homeless youngpeople, those in foster care, and the remainder of thesample, which includes young people living in families,share houses and alone. Data on homeless young peoplefrom the 2006 and 2007 surveys will also be provided toexamine possible trends for this group.

The focus of the presentation will be the data from thehomeless and foster care groups which offers rareinsights into the lives of these young people and how theirlives compare with other young Australians. Some of thesignificant policy and practice implications of the findingswill also be examined.

ANGELICA HANNANSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

A policy of exclusion: the 457 visa and itsimplications for migrant womenTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

Women comprise 50% of the world’s migrants, yet arebarely visible in Australia’s data collection or migrationpolicies. In a labour market increasingly comprised offemale migrant workers or female spouses of migrantworkers, greater gender-conscious policy planning isparamount.

In August 1996, the Howard government introduced theTemporary Business Visa (subclass 457), allowingemployers to sponsor a skilled overseas worker forbetween three months to four years. Since 2001, 457visas granted have increased from over 30, 000 to closeto 90, 000 in 2006-07. Despite the program’s apparentsuccess, there have been reports of exploitation ofworkers by sponsor-employers who manipulate theminimum salary level, increase the hours required to beworked above the standard 38 per week or fail to meettheir obligations in other ways. Understanding the impactof current migration policies from a gendered perspectivehas been neglected in the policy planning for this scheme.

This paper explores implications of the 457-visa schemefor migrant women, utilising three key sources: (i) surveydata compiled by the Department of Immigration andCitizenship in relation to the scheme; (ii) findings andrecommendations of the October 2008 Deegan Reportinto the scheme’s integrity; and (iii) findings andrecommendations of the Joint Standing Committee onMigration regarding the Inquiry into EligibilityRequirements and Monitoring, Enforcement andReporting Arrangements for Temporary Business Visas.

KAREN HEALY, MARGOT RAWSTHORNE,ANNE HAMPSHIRE AND ANNETTEMICHAUXUniversity of Queensland, University of Sydney, MissionAustralia and The Benevolent [email protected]

Families on the fringe: a report on a studyof social exclusion in non-metropolitancommunitiesFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

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According to Australian census figures, the populations ofQueensland and New South Wales grew by more than700 000 people between 2001 and 2006. Remarkably.more than half of the population growth occurred outsidethe capital cities. The areas of strongest growth werethose within commuting distance to capital cities, majorregional cities or significant centres of employment. Ourresearch suggests that a substantial proportion of thepopulation growth outside the capital cities is occurringamongst young families, that is families with childrenunder 9 years. Many of these young families facepressures, such as commuting significant distances towork and limited service access, which increase theirvulnerability to social exclusion. Reviewing population andSEIFA data from 2001 and 2006, we will examinechanging patterns of advantage and disadvantage in fournon-metropolitan sites in Queensland and New SouthWales where significant population growth has occurred.We will conclude with a discussion of what families whohave made the move to these non-metropolitan sites viewas effective strategies for reducing their vulnerability tosocial exclusion.

SHARNI CHAN, NATASHA CORTIS, FIONAHILFERTY AND KATHY TANNOUSSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The non-profit community servicesworkforce: towards capacity andsustainabilityTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

A high quality, capable, well-managed and sustainableworkforce is integral to community service quality andeffectiveness, and the capacity of government agenciesand their non-government partners to meet key socialpolicy objectives. In Australia, documented workforcechallenges are multiple, complex and interlinked. Issuesrelate to labour dynamics (recruitment and retentiondifficulties, especially for qualified and specialist staff, andstaff in rural areas); worker characteristics (includingworkforce ageing and over-representation of women); andworking conditions (including high caseloads, low pay,underemployment, casualisation, limited career paths;poor supports for staff development and unclear boundariesbetween professional and non-professional roles).

This paper presents the findings of a study that exploredthese issues as they affect the non-governmentcommunity services sector in NSW. Survey responsesfrom around 2000 non-government sector workers in

NSW (collected in early 2009), as well as focus groupsand stakeholder interviews, highlight the strength andvalue of non-profit community services work and the NGOworkforce, and provides some vital clues about howworkforce quality and capacity can be improved andsustained.

JOANNE HILLERMANN AND JOHN LANDTAustralian Bureau of Statistics and Department of PrimeMinister and [email protected]

Developing an Australian measurementand reporting framework for socialinclusionTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 6

An important element of the government’s SocialInclusion agenda is the development of a performancereporting framework - to identify the number andcharacteristics of people and families suffering severe andmultiple forms of disadvantage and to monitor the impactof government policies to address social inclusion.Indicators of social inclusion need to cover the wide rangeof economic, social and personal factors that affectpeople’s ability to participate fully in the community. Thepaper outlines the framework being developed anddiscusses the importance of developing a unifiedframework that provides a better understanding of themultiple factors that can enable or impede the socialinclusion of individuals, families and communities, andthat enables better evaluation of the effectiveness ofgovernment policies.

BRONWYN HINZUniversity of [email protected]

[R] Missing the forest for the trees: howAustralia’s dynamic federal structures andprocesses affect the school fundingsettlement.FRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

Schools funding is repeatedly identified as one of thepolicy areas most in need of reform to Commonwealth-State relations. It possesses many of the saidshortcomings of our federal system, including complexity,inefficiency, duplication and limited accountability. Thisnegatively impacts upon service delivery, schoolingoutcomes and equity. Research to date has had little

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Abstracts by author

impact because it ignores the complex, dynamic andinteractive nature of Australian federalism within whichschool funding operates. This paper argues thatunderstanding federalism as a complex and dynamic setof governance systems, processes and structures,interacting with society and political actors andinstitutions, is central to understanding and enhancingAustralia’s school funding settlement and indeed otherspheres of complex and concurrent State andCommonwealth activity. After outlining this problem and itsbroader federal context in detail, the paper discussessome dimensions of federal evolution and reform underthe Howard and Rudd governments. It concludes byproposing a theoretical and conceptual framework,drawing on elements of new institutionalism and framereflection, as an essential foundation for future researchand reforms seeking to restore equity and fairness toAustralian schooling.

HELEN HODGSONATAX, [email protected]

Applying gender equality to the Australiantax transfer systemWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 5

The Review of Australia’s Future Tax System (AustralianTreasury 2008) is examining the structure of Australia’stax and transfer systems. In the same way that moderntax policy analysis now addresses global issues (Meade1978; Australian Treasury 2008; Griffith, Hines et al.2008), there is a key argument in the literature thatgender equity issues should now be incorporated fully intax policy design.

Feminist theorists have developed frameworks to examinethe gender equity of different regimes and the impact thatgovernment policies have on gender equity (Lewis 2006).Gender equity programs, whether based on removing oracknowledging gender difference, are still largely justifiedby economics (Lewis and Giullari 2005). Depending onthe conditions required to access such schemes inparticular jurisdictions they may be seen as programs toensure equality or to address difference (Lewis 2006).

The tax policy framework needs to consider this feministframework. Are the traditional concepts of vertical andhorizontal equity adequate as an analysis tool, particularlyin view of the extent to which tax transfer measures areused to achieve other policy goals? For exampleprogressive tax rates, for women, may be less relevantthan the work/care balance (Lewis 1997; Apps 2007)

although the EMTR is often excessive for women assecond earners and/or receiving income support (Harding,Vu et al. 2006)

This paper applies a feminist approach to tax policy inAustralia. In the process I will consider whether thetraditional approach to tax transfer systems of vertical andhorizontal equity is sufficiently comprehensive, or whetherthe framework should be updated to explicitly includeaspects of gender equity (Cass 1986).

JARRAH HOFFMANN-EKSTEIN ANDANNETTE MICHAUXThe Benevolent [email protected]

Research to practice in community agedcareTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

Stakeholders have identified that although in some areasof human services such as children’s services there are alarge number of websites, briefing papers and other formsof communication between researchers and practitioners,this is far less developed in the community aged caresector, as is the body of research findings. There are alsodifferences in the training and organisation of practitionersin community aged care.

In response.the Benevolent Society, in partnership withSocial Policy Research Centre, is attempting to generatecultural change by introducing evidence based practiceinto the community aged care sector through Research toPractice Briefings. The Research to Practice Briefings areresources for community aged care teams to stimulatediscussion and reflection on their practice. Each Briefingdraws on the existing research about a certain topic, witha strong focus on what the research says about the valueof existing practices and suggestions for improvingpractice. The first two briefings addressed older people’ssocial networks, and care workers and care practiceswhich support and enable good care.

This presentation explores aspects of the content of theBriefings, the process of producing and disseminating theBriefings and the response of community aged care staffand the sector more generally.

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ANDREW HOLLOWSHanover Welfare [email protected]

The risk and prevalence of homelessness:implications for research and policyTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

With over 105,000 individuals counted nationally by theABS census as homeless each night - be it roughsleeping, staying with friends or being put up ininappropriate accommodation the experience ofhomelessness can be quite devastating . This paper re-examines homelessness in terms of its risk, prevalenceand duration; and poses a series of questions for theresearch and policy communities: what is the risk ofhomelessness between different population groups? Whatis the life-long prevalence of homelessness and why is itthat some groups, while at risk, do not actually becomehomeless? And why is it that for those people whoexperience homelessness the majority do so only onceand only briefly? Through an analysis of the distribution ofhomelessness and its risk, this paper maps out analternate research agenda to address the social policyundertakings of the Australian Government’sHomelessness White Paper.

ROSS HOMELGriffith Institute for Social and Behavioural [email protected]

The developmental systems framework fordevelopmental prevention in disadvantagedcommunities: moving from small scaledemonstrations to large scale practiceTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

Developmental prevention involves the organizedprovision of resources to individuals, families, schools orcommunities to forestall the later development ofproblems such as mental health disorders, crime, andchild maltreatment. Within the developmental systemsframework, development is understood as systematic andsuccessive change in individuals or in other units ofanalysis that is associated with the dynamic relations overtime among structures from multiple levels oforganization. These levels of organization range from theindividual or inner- psychological through the proximalsocial relational - especially within the context of thefamily - through local community levels to thesociocultural and social structural. Within thisinterdisciplinary perspective human agency and relative

plasticity across the life course are central concepts, andfamily processes, social institutions and societal accessroutes that open up opportunities to take new directionsare fundamental to the preventive enterprise. The basicunit of analysis is relations, connections or transactionsbetween individuals and contexts and between levels oforganization. This paper uses the Pathways to Preventionproject in Brisbane as an example of a research-practice-policy partnership developed within the systemsframework that aims to apply knowledge about humandevelopment to the design of programs that affectpreschool and primary school children living in sociallyand economically disadvantaged communities. Reflectiveanalyses highlight the importance of policies andpractices that promote strong connections between thesystems and social settings within which children develop,especially the family and the school. The paper discussesthe prospects for generalising this approach acrossAustralia in the light of experience with Pathways,Communities for Children, and similar programs inAustralia and internationally.

SHAHADAT HOSSAINSchool of Social Sciences and International Studies,[email protected]

Economic liberalisation and new urbanpoverty in the global southFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

Now more than ever it is important to investigateliberalization as process of socio-spatial restructuring,manifested in such things as informal urban developmentand negotiated through elaborated legal and extra-legalsystems of regulation. The ‘new’ moment requires a directengagement with the nature of liberalization as adistinctive phase of development and urbanisation.

Informal-sector employment grew two to five times fasterthan formal-sector jobs- has inverted their relativestructural positions, establishing informal survivalism asthe new primary mode of livelihood in the global ‘South’.Millions of rural immigrants cling to urban life by the mostprecarious and usually illegal of handholds. Most of thejobs they found in small towns and cities are in theinformal sector of the economy. While these informal-sector jobs tend to be labour-intensive and can absorbsignificant numbers, there are questions about theireconomic efficiency and productive potential.

However, a new structural situation has developedwhereby economic instability produces moments of high

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Abstracts by author

unemployment so suddenly that the urban informal sectoris unable to absorb the surplus labour force. Thus,economic liberalization has brought a generaldeterioration in living condition of millions of new urbanpoor in the global ‘South’.

PETER HOWARD AND TIM MARCHANTAustralian Catholic University and Mission [email protected]

Social inclusion through communityembedded, socially supported universityeducation (CESS)THURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

This paper explores recent collaborative research into aninnovative educational program working with Australiansfacing disadvantage. Catalyst-Clemente, an examplar ofcommunity embedded socially supported universityeducation, delivers university level humanities educationin a community setting. The program operates at eightsites nationally with more than 25 graduates and a currentenrolment of over 100 students.

Preliminary research (2005-6) into the impact of theprogram pointed to increased student self esteem andautonomy. Subsequent research, conducted at four sitesacross Australia (2007-8) by Mission Australia andAustralian Catholic University, developed a more detailedprofile of the students and a more nuanced understandingof the outcomes achieved. This research which provideda clearer understanding of pathways through the programlaid the groundwork for a successful three year AustralianResearch Council linkage grant currently underway.

This paper, reporting and critically reflecting on past andcurrent research, will examine emerging outcomes andinitial thinking about the factors and processes whichunderpin it. In so doing, the paper will point to ‘whatworks’ in engaging or re-engaging people who may havebeen out of the mainstream for a considerable period oftime and hence offers practical suggestions for a nationalsocial inclusion agenda.

VERN HUGHESNational Federation of Parents, Families and [email protected]

Self-directed care and individual budgets:transforming provider-centred servicesystems to person-centred systems incommunity careWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 3

The paper examines the issues and challenges intransforming provider-centred service systems indisability, aged care, chronic and mental illness to person-centred systems characterised by self-directed care andindividual budgets.

The paper identifies six key structural components in thistransformation:

1. Aggregation of resources from disparate programs intoperson-centred individual budgets.

2. Introduction of a ‘per person unit cost’ for all programsand services, so that individuals and their agents maypurchase a suite of units of service and support to fittheir personalised needs.

3. Establishment of a budget holding and managementfacility, independent of service providers.

4. Establishment of a retail market in community care,independent of service providers, in which comparativeprice and quality information about services andservice providers is available to individuals.

5. Establishment of a technology-based platform toenable individuals and their agents to manage self-directed care and individual budgets.

6. Consolidation of provider-held information into aperson-centred information system to include allcomponents of an individual’s history and care plans.

The paper explores recent policy and practice innovationin the UK and various Australian states towards self-directed care and self-managed individual budgets, andexamines issues arising from this innovation. The paperconcludes with an assessment of the strategic andpolitical obstacles to person-centred reform of humanservice systems in Australia.

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LOUISE HUMPAGEUniversity of [email protected]

Resisting ‘class’-based distinctions in a‘classless’ society? Talking to NewZealanders about social citizenshipWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 5

As part of a broader project documenting public attitudesto social citizenship rights in New Zealand, 87 focusgroup and interview participants from a wide range ofbackgrounds were asked to respond to the statement:‘People receiving social security benefits are made to feellike second class citizens’. This paper discussesparticipant responses to this statement and follow upquestions which asked why beneficiaries might feel‘second-class’, whether participants themselves felt ‘firstclass’ and what citizens might need to feel ‘first class’ inNew Zealand today. In addition to considering the policyimplications of these responses, the paper compares thediscourses draw upon by New Zealand participants withthose identified when British participants discussed thesame statement. This comparison highlights manyoverlaps as well as significant discursive differences inthe New Zealand context. Overall, it is argued that theparticipant’s responses reveal interesting and, at times,troubling tensions between the reality of significant class-,ethnic- and gender-based divisions in New Zealand todayand the continuing myth that New Zealand is an‘egalitarian’ or ‘classless’ society.

MARY IVECDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

‘There’s a whole community belongs tothis child’: building capacity in Indigenouschild protectionTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

There is a small, but slowly emerging research literatureabout the experiences of parents and families involved inchild protection systems (Harries 2008, Thorpe 2002).The focus of this study has been to examine childprotection from a responsive regulatory perspective. Thisnewly emerging perspective is based on the initialtheoretical work of Ayers and Braithwaite (1992) and iscurrently being applied to the child protection field byBraithwaite (2008) and Harris (2008 and forthcoming) atthe Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet) Research

Centre within the Australian National University. Byconceptualising child protection as a regulatory activity wecan apply the vast literature and evidence base ofresponsive regulatory theory to inform the development ofa more effective compliance model to achieve highercompliance from those being regulated. This approachaims to build capacity in families, communities andservice systems. It offers opportunity for dialogue,education, persuasion as well as incorporating sanctionswhen children’s safety is at stake. Engagement of thewider community in the regulator’s aims is also a keydimension of responsive regulation.

This paper presents findings on how Indigenous parentsand families experience and perceive contemporary childprotection interventions. Data is taken from forty-five in-depth interviews conducted in 2008 with Indigenousparents and self-identified carers in urban and regionalareas of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Walesand Queensland. Findings suggest that child safetyregulators can influence parents’ behaviour towardskeeping their children safe and that strategies ofenforcement by child protection authorities can impact onthe support capacity within informal care networks aroundthe child.

NATALIE JACKSON AND MAGGIEWALTERSchool of Sociology and Social Work, University [email protected]

Which of Australia’s baby boomers expectto delay their retirement? An occupationaloverviewTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

A handful of studies on the retirement intentions ofAustralia’s Baby Boomers have each come to a similarconclusion: most Boomers are open to the idea of laterretirement, with many expecting to work well into theirsixties. This is good news for the Australian Government,which was concerned that Boomers would follow theirimmediate predecessors and retire early. However,intentions to delay retirement are by no means evenlydistributed through the population by occupation. Nor arediscussions pertaining to retirement occurring at therequired level or evenly across occupations. By contrastwith the few Australian studies which have examinedsimilar issues for individual occupations or industries, thispaper provides a comparative overview of findings for all35 occupations at the ANZCO 2-digit level. Among these

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Abstracts by author

findings are that Professionals and AssociateProfessionals - many of whom hold so-called ‘criticalskills’ which are central to the functioning of manybusinesses, organisations and departments - have theyoungest expected retirement ages, while Labourers andProduction/Transport Workers have the oldest. Thefindings indicate that an early retirement crisis of critically-skilled workers may yet remain.

VICTORIA JOHNSON, GRAHAM CURRIEAND JANET STANLEYMonash [email protected]

[R] Can measures of disadvantageperpetuate the problems they seek tosolve? A discussion of the use of carownership as a variable inmultidimensional measures ofdisadvantageTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

Improved understanding of the multidimensional nature ofdisadvantage has lead to development of a wider range ofmeasurement variables than traditional income povertylines. One variable commonly included in indexes ofdisadvantage, is households that do not have a car. Theuse of this variable in the Townsend Index, the Index ofRelative Socio-Economic Disadvantage and the ChildSocial Exclusion Index is discussed in this paper.

This paper challenges the logic of including ‘not having acar’ as an indicator of disadvantage and argues that theinclusion of this variable distorts the true picture of thedistribution of advantage and disadvantage in wealthynations such as Australia. It presents evidence to showthat zero car ownership may be a positive feature of lowincome households and that conversely high carownership can put significant financial stress onhouseholds with low income.

An examination of these measures of disadvantage canhelp to illuminate the vital role of transport in addressingsocial exclusion and economic inequality. The purpose ofthis paper is to open debate and contribute to thedevelopment of more accurate measures of disadvantage.

GUY JOHNSON AND CHRISCHAMBERLAINRMIT [email protected]

Are the homeless mentally ill?WEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 4

In Australia, it is widely believed that most homelesspeople have mental health issues, and that mental illnessis a primary cause of homelessness. This paper usesinformation from a study of 4,291 homeless people inMelbourne to investigate these propositions. The researchfound that neither proposition was plausible. Fifteen percent of the sample had mental health issues prior tobecoming homeless, and 16 per cent developed mentalhealth issues after becoming homeless. For those thathad mental health issues prior to becoming homeless, itwas the break down of family support that usuallyprecipitated homelessness. For those who developedmental health issues after becoming homeless, it wasoften their experiences in the homeless population thatprecipitated mental illness. Regardless of whether mentalillness preceded or followed homelessness, most peoplewith mental health issues experienced long-termhomelessness. The paper concludes with a policydiscussion.

KIRRILY JORDAN, HANNAH BULLOCHAND GEOFF BUCHANANCentre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research,Australian National [email protected]

Wellbeing and equality in Indigenouspolicy: is the pursuit of statistical equalitycompatible with Indigenous wellbeing?THURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

In recent years there has been an increasing recognitionof the limits of GDP as a measure of ‘progress’ and agrowing emphasis on notions of wellbeing, satisfaction orquality of life. A number of alternative measures ofnational progress have emerged both in Australia andoverseas, with some of the better known including the‘Australian Unity Wellbeing Index,’ the ‘Genuine ProgressIndicator’ and the ‘Happy Planet Index.’ A number offrameworks have also sought to identify Indigenous-specific notions of wellbeing, including the ‘Indicators ofwell-being, poverty and sustainability relevant toindigenous peoples’ developed under the United NationsPermanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and the

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Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) emerging approachto the measurement of Indigenous wellbeing. This paperreflects on the influence of these and other frameworks ofwellbeing on current Indigenous policy and discourse inAustralia as well as the implications for future policydevelopment. In this it compares a wellbeing approach tothe ‘capabilities approach’ developed by economistAmartya Sen. It asks whether a practical commitment toIndigenous wellbeing is compatible with the current policyfocus on ‘statistical equality’ that is evident in the federalgovernment’s approach to ‘closing the gaps.’

ILAN KATZ, YAHUA ZHANG ANDXIAOYUAN SHANGSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Child protection systems in rural China:interagency responsesTUESDAY 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, ARCADE ROOM

This project is jointly being undertaken by the SocialPolicy Research Centre at the University of NSW inSydney, Australia and Save the Children China. Its aimsare to examine the current systems and processes whichnow operate in China, with a view to policy and practicereform. This paper reports on preliminary findings fromthe first phase of the research carried out in Lixin, a ruralcounty in Anhui Province. The main hypothesis of theresearch is that child abuse is still a hidden problem inChina and the current systems are unable to provideeffective protection to maltreated children even in seriouscases.

The research involves a detailed analysis of legal andpolicy documents at the national and provincial levels andfieldwork in three areas of China – a rural county, anurban setting and a metropolitan setting. The fieldworkconsists of semi-structured interviews with keystakeholders (judges, senior police officers, policymakers) and focus groups with front line practitioners –police, teachers, welfare workers and doctors. In additionchildren in each location were interviewed about theirviews. This paper reports on the preliminary documentanalysis and the first round of fieldwork

The main finding of the research to date is the remarkableminimilisation of the problem of child abuse byparticipants, who mainly indicated that they would beunwilling to report even severe cases. Although physicalpunishment is forbidden in public schools, some parentssaid physical punishment is an acceptable method fordisciplining children. Thus although there is a reasonable

legal framework for child protection, the actual systemsand the attitudes of those responsible for child protectionmitigate against adequate protection for children.

ROSEMARY KAYESSDisability Studies and Research Centre and Faculty ofLaw, [email protected]

A research network for disabilityacademics?FRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB BREAKOUT SPACE

The Parliamentary Secretary for Disability, Bill Shorten,has suggested disability academics explore forming aresearch network. The ASPC offers a timely opportunityfor disability policy researchers to contribute to thatdevelopment. DSRC is hosting a special session todiscuss the development of a Australian disabilityresearch agenda and will focus on questions including:developing a Australian body of knowledge on disabilitystudies theory and methodology; researching withdisability community organisations and people withdisability; Establishing a national network of disabilityresearchers; Resources for disability researchers -clearinghouse, web resources, training, scholarships,partnerships, journal; International opportunities;Governance and setting research priorities andEstablishing an Australasian disability studies society. Thesession will build on the discussions from the DisabilityStudies Conference, Australia.

TESSA KEENANNura Gili Indigenous Programs, [email protected]

[R] Indigenous education and social policydevelopment in NSWTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

This paper discusses the historical context of the NSWAECG and the NSW Aboriginal Education Policy, andemphasises the need for culturally inclusive policies withrelevant policy implementation strategies. It also highlightsthe relationship between Indigenous educationaldisadvantage and colonisation, demonstrating the needfor dominant educational frameworks to be inclusive ofIndigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

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Abstracts by author

BENJAMIN L. KELLYNura Gili Indigenous Programs, [email protected]

[R] Conflict and collaboration: a sociologyof knowledge production in the field ofIndigenous StudiesTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

In this paper I seek to introduce Bourdieuian field theory(e.g. Bourdieu, 1990, 2000) and Legitimation CodeTheory (e.g. Maton, 2000, 2004; Moore & Maton, 2001)into the field of Indigenous Studies. I use these theories toanalyse the relationship between different discourses inIndigenous Studies and compare the field theory approachto understanding academic discourses to the more popular‘paradigms’ approach. It is argued that a critical and sensibleawareness of our own position within the field is essentialif we, as researchers and teachers, wish to produceconstructive research and avoid inadvertently contributingto the colonial domination of Indigenous peoples.

HELEN KIMBERLEYBrotherhood of St [email protected]

The Brotherhood’s Social Barometer onRetirement and AgeingTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

International trends in poverty definition and measurementsuch as the social inclusion approach of British andEuropean social policy and Amartya Sen’s ‘capabilities’framework, propose multidimensional measures ofdisadvantage and deliver similar social indicators. Theseapproaches, particularly Sen’s, have influenced theMelbourne Institute’s work on poverty and the Cape YorkInstitute’s work with Indigenous people (see Headey2006; Cape York Institute 2005). Likewise they areinforming Brotherhood research toward the evolution ofsocial and economic policies that respond to the changingconditions in Australia and in the global environment.

Retirement and Ageing is the fourth research report in theBrotherhood's Social Barometer series that utilises thecapability framework, its predecessors being The workingyears (Allen Consulting Group 2007), Monitoring children’schances (Scutella & Smyth 2005) and Challenges facingAustralian youth, (Boese & Scutella 2006). Retirementand Ageing examines the extent of disadvantage amongolder Australians through indicators of people’scapabilities covering eight key dimensions of life.

LESLEY LAINGUniversity of [email protected]

'It really was that I was nuts and thereforeit was legitimate!' - the interface betweendomestic violence and mental healthTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 8

Efforts to promote interagency collaboration in domesticviolence service delivery have primarily been built aroundthe criminal justice system with only limited engagementof health services. Yet only a small proportion of abusedwomen ever have contact with the criminal justice system.In contrast the majority of women who experiencedomestic violence report deleterious impacts on theirmental health, experiencing increased rates ofdepression, anxiety and PTSD, suicidality, and misuse ofalcohol or other substances. This paper presents thefindings from a three year ARC research project whichaimed to enhance collaboration between mental healthservices and women's domestic violence services in NewSouth Wales, Australia. At the beginning of the projectwomen were invited to recount their experiences of usingboth domestic violence and mental health services. Theirstories were central to the development of an actionresearch project in which several locally based initiativesaimed at enhancing coordinated responses betweendomestic violence and mental health services weredeveloped, trialled and evaluated. The paper will discusssome of the challenges that emerged in bridgingdivergent understandings about domestic violence andthe outcomes that enhanced women’s opportunities toparticipate more fully in civil society.

CARMEL LARAGY, KAREN FISHER ANDELISABET CEDERSUNDRMIT, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, andJönköping [email protected]

Comparative conceptualisation ofdisability and aged support services as aright, intrusion and complement to othersupport in Australia and SwedenTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 1

Do people who are ageing or experience disabilitiesconceptualise formal support services in their home as aright, intrusion or complement to their other support? Thispaper analyses qualitative data from interviews with

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people with support or wanting support in their home totest these conceptualisations of formal support from fourAustralian and Swedish studies. The analysis identifiesthat the way people talk about formal support in theirhome includes their right to receive support and thedesire for control over the way the support is organised;experience of support complementing other relationshipsand activities; and experience of support as intrusive. Thecomparative analysis highlights the effect of differentsenses of entitlement on the other concepts of control,intrusion and complementing relationships. The findingshave implications for aged and disability support policy,including the interface between formal and informationsupport and people’s control of formal support arrangements.

HAZEL LIMNational Centre for Social and Economic Modelling(NATSEM)[email protected]

The impact of Mutual Obligation on matureage NewStart Allowance recipients: aprogram evaluationTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

In July 2002, the coverage of the Mutual Obligation (MO)was increased to include mature age NewStart Allowance(NSA) recipients aged 35 to 49. The Welfare Reform TaskForce hailed MO as the key to addressing social andeconomic disadvantage of job seekers. Participation incommunity service, training or part-time work aresupposed to enable NSA recipients to exit NSA and work.In this research, the effectiveness of MO in facilitatingexits from NSA is assessed by applying programevaluation methods. The longitudinal administrativedataset is used to represent the individual’s workforceparticipation decision-making by taking into accounthis/her time-use preference, participation barriers andexpected labour demand.

It is found that MO is not effective in the way the previousgovernment envisioned it to be. MO is more of a policy-tightening exercise than an active labour market policyaimed at enhancing the skills of the mature age NSArecipients. Only 2.2 percent of mature age NSA entrantsmanifested the behavioural change the governmentintended -- take up an MO activity, complete it and leaveincome support to work. This raises questions on thecost-effectiveness of MO as an ALMP given theexpenditure on the program.

LIU JITONGDepartment of Health Policy and Management, PekingUniversity

Features of a social policy framework anddevelopment strategy of social welfare inChinaTUESDAY 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, ARCADE ROOM

In the historical transformation of social structure, thereform of China’s economic system and governmentfunction lead to the emergence of socialized socialwelfare policy, which tremendously changes the socialwelfare system and policy model, and stimulate the socialwelfare system innovation and its theoretical innovation.The market orientation of economy, the socialized socialwelfare, and the modernization of society enhance themaking of social policy, a prelude of modern socialwelfare system framework. Now, the crucial issue is howprofessional social workers and social work educatorsshall play their roles in such a framework.

BOB LONNE AND KAREN HEALYQueensland University of Technology and University [email protected]

The para-professionalisation of Australia’scommunity services sector: an analysis ofcontemporary employment patternsTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

The community services sector provides a range ofservices to vulnerable people. The sector is one of thefastest growing fields of employment in Australia. In thispaper we draw on a range of data sources to present ananalysis of the characteristics of the front-line workforceand current and projected employment trends. Ouranalysis incorporates data sets from: the AustralianCensuses (2001 and 2006); DEEWR data on the 'helpingprofessions'; and Graduate Careers Australia. This dataindicates an emerging "para-professionalisation" of thecommunity services sector. By this we refer to theexceptionally strong employment growth amongstoccupational groups with non-degree level qualifications.Employment amongst these occupational groups hasalmost tripled over the past decade. This group is nowthe largest occupational group in the sector. Strongemployment growth is also observed amongst workerswithout post-school qualifications. By contrast,employment growth amongst professionally qualifiedworkers has remained steady. We will discuss policy

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Abstracts by author

drivers contributing to these employment trends. We willdiscuss the implications of the para-professionalisation ofthe community services workforce in terms of the capacityof the sector to respond to the increasingly complexchallenges it faces.

IBOLYA LOSONCZDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Struggling to keep the balance: work-lifeexperience of Australian mothers in paidwork between 2000 and 2005WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 8

Australian mothers in paid work often try to reconcile twoequally important aspirations: participation in the labourmarket, and commitment to caring for their family andchildren. Research by Losoncz (2008), using clusteranalysis on the HILDA survey data, identified six majorhomogenous groups of working mothers who haddistinctive profiles in terms of their work-family lifeexperience. Mothers in two of these two clusters Aspiringand struggling, and Indifferent and struggling -experience strong tension in managing their work andfamily responsibilities.

Subsequent descriptive analysis found that mothers inthese clusters were characterised by long working hours,high work overload, lack of support from others, loweroutcomes on health measures, and low satisfaction withfamily life and parenthood regardless of their level ofaspiration to be in paid work.

This second part of the project will use longitudinalanalysis of the first six waves of HILDA to examine theextent of transition of individual mothers in these twoclusters. Furthermore, the research will investigate theextent to which increased support from others, re-partnering, and reduction in paid and/or unpaid workinghours either by the mother, her partner or at thehousehold level will predict a more positive work-familylife experience.

PAULA MANCE AND PENG YUDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

The relevance of family characteristics,family transition and conflict in explainingpoor outcomes for young adults from non-intact families.FRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

Previous research by Mance and Yu (2009) found thatyoung adults who had ever lived in a stepfather familyhad significantly lower academic achievement andaspirations and higher rates of independence than bothyoung adults from intact families and never re-partneredlone parent families. The authors proposed that thisrelationship was due to a combination of factors includingcontextual factors, parental relationship transition andparent-child or stepparent-child conflict.

This research extends the previous study by usingmultivariate regression techniques to examine the relativecontribution of each factor to the outcomes of youngadults from stepfather, stepmother and lone parentfamilies on four measures: educational attainment; beingsuspended or expelled from school; regular smoking; andbeing in trouble with police. The research uses data from2430 matched parent-child pairs collected in wave 1 ofthe Youth in Focus Survey which was conducted in 2006when the young adults were aged 18 years.

Contextual factors play a major role in explaining pooreroutcomes for young adults from non-intact families acrossall measures. However, the number of parentalrelationship transitions and to a lesser extent, conflict isalso important in explaining poor youth outcomes,depending upon the family type being examined and themeasure chosen.

GREG MARSTON, JEREMY MOSS ANDSARAH LANTZUniversity of Melbourne and University of [email protected]

[R] Disability and employment: theinterface with income support policiesTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

In this paper we examine the relationship betweendisability and paid employment in the context of recentpolicy changes associated with the former government’s

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‘welfare-to-work’ package. We consider the questionabout whether a high level of disability income provisionsincreases or decrease the risk of people being outside thelabour market. The conventional assumption in welfarereform debates is that a more generous payment rateprovides a disincentive to seek paid employment. Whatwe argue in this paper, based on international researchand a qualitative study undertaken by the authors, is thatthe reverse is more likely to be true. A lower rate ofpayment increases the risk of poverty and reduces thechance that people will be able to meet the costs ofseeking and maintaining employment. Lifting theemployment rate of people with a disability requires acomprehensive strategy that focuses on the adequacy ofthe income support system, accessible education andemployment and an employment services system that isable to meet a diversity of aspirations and skills.

LUDO McFERRAN AND ROBYN EDWARDSAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouseand Social Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Staying home, leaving violenceTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 8

By the 1990s Australia had developed a nationwidesystem of placing the victims of domestic violence fortheir safety in refuges and shelters. Raising the idea thatthe domestic violence offender, overwhelming the male,should be removed from the family home rather than thewomen and children challenged the centuries old myththat ‘a man’s home is his castle’ and the feministhegemony of the 1970s that women and children couldnot be safe in their homes. The CommonwealthGovernment Homelessness White Paper ‘The RoadHome’ (2008) has committed Australia to reducing thehomelessness of women and children by supportingstrategies that keep them safe in their homes. How havedifferent Australian states and territories responded to thisparadigm shift in domestic violence policy? What isoccurring internationally? How did the role of researchand leadership contribute to driving change? What are themajor enduring barriers to making the home a safe andsustainable option for women and children? Thepresentation will reflect on the findings and aftermath ofthe Staying Home Leaving Violence research study(2004), and will unpack meanings behind safety at home.

JOSEY McMAHONQueenslanders with Disability [email protected]

Inclusion is ... / inclusion is not...: the livedexperience for people with disabilitiesWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 1

This paper will critique and discuss the theme of socialinclusion for people with disabilities. It will explore whatsocial inclusion is, how it is experienced (or not) by peoplewith disabilities and some of the circumstances and supportsrequired to make society more inclusive and welcoming.

The paper will include personal stories from people withdisabilities to give participants powerful insights into howmovements for social change, policies, practices impacton people’s lives. It will critique social inclusion from ahistorical perspective – looking at the origins of de-institutionalisation – provide a reminder of the originalimpetus for change that put social inclusion for peoplewith disabilities on the agenda.

Part of this review will include a discussion of policies andpractices that empower people with disabilities, and a lookat some practical ways to facilitate social inclusion. Thepaper will also critique legislation, funding strategies,policies, practices and service models that progress andsupport societies to be inclusive of people with disabilities.

The paper will be followed by a brief panel discussionwhich critiques emerging practices and explores thepositive or negative these have on social inclusion. Thisdiscussion will develop key suggestions on what socialinclusion is, what it is not, and how communities can bemore inclusive of people with disabilities.

SAMARA MCPHEDRANDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Disability and community life: doesregional living enhance socialparticipation?WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 1

It is well documented that disability can be associatedwith exclusion from full participation in employment,education, and social opportunities. This may in turnimpact on the overall wellbeing and life satisfaction ofpeople with disability. Less clear, however, are the ways inwhich location may affect social participation and accessto social support among people with disability. Although it

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Abstracts by author

has been argued that living in regional Australia facilitatessocial connectedness and access to social support, thevalidity of this hypothesis in the context of disability hasnot been assessed. Therefore, the current studyinvestigated different types of community involvement,levels of perceived social support, and self-reported lifesatisfaction among regional people with disability, relativeto their counterparts living in major cities. The resultspartially support the hypothesis that location and socialparticipation are related, with regional people withdisability reporting higher involvement in volunteer work,more frequent attendance at community events, andstronger feelings of being part of their community. Thefindings are set within a policy framework, with emphasison supporting social participation opportunities for peoplewith disability.

SILVIA MENDOLIASchool of Economics and Social Policy Research Centre,[email protected]

[R] The impact of job loss on familymental healthFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of jobloss on family mental well-being.

Negative income shock due to job loss can affect themental health status of the individual who directlyexperiences such displacement, as well as thepsychological well-being of her/his partner; also, job lossmay have a significantly detrimental effect on lifesatisfaction, self-esteem and on the individual’s perceivedrole in society. All these elements are likely to haverepercussions on family members’ mental health. Thisanalysis is based on the complete sample ofmarried/cohabitating couples from the first 14 waves ofthe British Household Panel Survey. Controls are includedfor mental-health related sample attrition and mentalhealth dynamics. Data from employment histories isutilised and redundancies (different from dismissals) indeclining industries are used as an indicator of exogenousjob loss. Two sensitivity analyses are conducted, includinginstrumental variable estimation. Results to date showevidence that couples in which the husband experiencesa job loss are more likely to experience poor mentalhealth and the negative effect is found from bothexogenous redundancy and from dismissals. Hence thereis evidence of multiple transmission channels throughwhich displacements affect family well-being.

ANNETTE MICHAUX AND ROB SIMONSThe Benevolent Society and The Smith [email protected]

Measuring social impact: the state ofevaluation in Australia from a non-profitperspectiveWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 8

This session is an interactive panel discussion. The panelpresenters will be

– Annette Michaux General Manager Social Policy andResearch, The Benevolent Society

– Rob Simons, Head of Research and Evaluation, TheSmith Family

As non-profit organisations in Australia are developing arange of strategies to more effectively measure the impactof their work, funding bodies (both government and non-government) are requiring a complex array of data onservice provision.

There are major opportunities and challenges in thisenvironment. Are we on the cusp of developing a morerigorous Australian evidence base about what works, orare we drowning in complex data reporting requirementsthat tells us very little?

In this interactive session, The Benevolent Society andThe Smith Family will share their experiences ofstrategies to effectively measure social impact.

JILL MILLERAustralian National [email protected]

Time banking for a more socially inclusiveretirementTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

Time banks offer a way in which individuals outside paidemployment, including retirees, can afford to offer andreceive services through the exchange of time. Somestudies on time banks in the West indicate that theseorganisations foster social and economic inclusion. Thebenefits that older time bank members derive throughgiving their time include a sense of personal worth,formation of new friendship networks to replace those loston retirement and the opportunity to use old skills andlearn new ones. This presentation provides the exampleof a time bank in Japan founded to foster a new role insociety for male retirees. It is a qualitative study based on

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my doctoral dissertation completed in 2008 about timebanks and the aged in Japan. Time banks have provedsuccessful in a number of countries, including the UnitedKingdom, United States and Japan and they could be ofbenefit in Australia as well.

RIYANA MIRANTI, ALICIA PAYNE ANDJUSTINE MCNAMARANationl Centre for Social and Economic Modelling,University of [email protected]

Towards small area indicators of well-being for older Australians: concepts andissuesTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

NATSEM is currently working on an ARC-funded projectentitled Opportunity and Disadvantage: Differences inWell-being among Australia’s Adults and Children at aSmall Area Level. This project is focused on theidentification and, where necessary, creation, of smallarea level data related to advantage and disadvantage fordifferent groups of Australians, and is aimed at increasingour understanding of the nature of locationaldisadvantage. A key stage of this project is to develop aset of indicators appropriate for studying differences inadvantage and disadvantage among older people inAustralia at the small area level. To initiate thisdevelopment we have conducted an extensive literaturereview of Australian and international sources in order todevelop conceptual frameworks and domains to informthe selection of indicators for analysis. This paper willpresent our findings thus far, and will include a discussionof the context of our project and the indicators that arecurrently being used in Australia and internationally tomeasure older people’s well-being. We will also presentthe broad conceptual frameworks underpinning our work,the domains of well-being we have selected; and provideexamples of preliminary results at the small area level.

ALAN MORRISSchool of Social Sciences and International [email protected]

Contentment and suffering: the impact ofAustralia’s housing policy and tenure onolder AustraliansFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

Housing policy in Australia has focused historically onfacilitating homeownership and creating some buffer forthose households that are not homeowners. This paperexplores the implications of this policy for olderAustralians. What is argued is that housing tenure hasbecome a crucial divide between those older Australianswho have had the good fortune to accesshomeownership or public / community housing and thosewho are dependent on the private rental sector. The latteroften find themselves in desperate circumstances. Theargument is developed, based on primary material and in-depth interviews, that the failure to put in place a housingpolicy which would give all citizens the ability to accessadequate and affordable housing has led to a situationwhere a substantial and increasing number of olderAustralians, especially those living by themselves, haveuntenable housing costs and minimal disposal income.The paper concludes that the present policy initiativesaimed at addressing the housing affordability crisis willhave little or no impact on the situation of the majority ofolder households who are currently in housing stress.

KRISTY MUIR, ILAN KATZ, CHRISTIANEPURCAL, ROGER PATULNY, SAULFLAXMAN, DAVID ABELLÓ, NATASHACORTIS, CATHY THOMSON, IOANAOPREA, SARAH WISE, BEN EDWARDS,MATTHEW GRAY AND ALAN HAYESSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW, and AustralianInstitute of Family [email protected]

Can area-based interventions work inAustralia? Findings from the longitudinalevaluation of communities for childrenFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 5

Internationally and in Australia, governments are focusingon area-based interventions to address disadvantage.Communities for Children, which is part of the AustralianGovernment Department of Families, Housing,Community Services and Indigenous Affairs’ (FaHCSIA)

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Abstracts by author

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (2004-2009), is a major area-based intervention that aims tosupport disadvantaged families with young children (0-5years of age) and their communities. While there is someinternational evidence to suggest that area-basedinterventions may work, there is very little evidence toshow that they work in Australia. This paper uses findingsfrom the longitudinal evaluation of Communities forChildren (2004-2008) by the Social Policy ResearchCentre and the Australian Institute of Family Studies toanswer the question: can area-based interventions workin Australia?

The evaluation, commissioned by FaHCSIA, used a rangeof qualitative and quantitative methods, including a surveyand interviews with families, service providers,government representatives and other key stakeholders.This paper describes the Communities for Childrenmodel; briefly discusses the outcomes for services,families and communities; and discusses aspects of themodel that influenced change. The evaluation findingssuggest that area-based interventions can work inAustralia under certain circumstances. This paperconcludes by drawing together policy implications forgovernments investing in, or considering investing in,area-based interventions.

KRISTIN NATALIERSchool of Sociology and Social Work, University [email protected]

[R] The use of child support money inmeeting housing costsWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 2

This paper explores how - and indeed, if - child supportmoney is a useful resource in meeting the housing needsof the children of separated parents and the residentparent who receives the payments. The study reports onthe findings arising out of a in-depth, semi-structuredinterviews with 33 parents who received child supportmoney. The impact of child support is often limited bythree factors: the amounts paid, the circumstances of itspayment (and in particular, the lack of reliability ofpayments), and the values guiding its allocation.

GENEVIEVE NELSON, KATE SPALDING,JUDITH TEICKE AND MELINA ISGRO-RARPThe Benevolent [email protected]

Moving forward: women’s journeys afterleaving an abusive relationship.Implications for policy and practice inAustraliaTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

Domestic violence is a pervasive and enduring problemfacing many families in Australia today. Whilst researchhas examined the experiences of women and childrenexperiencing domestic violence and the processesinvolved in leaving an abusive relationship, there is apaucity of research examining their journeys after theyhave separated from the abuse. This paper reports thefindings of an in-depth qualitative research reportconducted by The Benevolent Society that explored theexperiences of women and children who have separatedfrom domestic violence. Fourteen semi-structuredinterviews were conducted with women and professionals,whereby women had been separated from the abuse for aminimum of one year. Key findings emerging from thedata were focused around the long-term, enduring impactof domestic violence on physical and mental health, theroles played by formal and informal support services,internal and external coping strategies initiated by thewomen themselves, and the unique experiences ofwomen from culturally and linguistically diversebackgrounds. Recommendations for policy and practiceare given including the need for outreach services inAustralia that are free, anonymous, and flexible and softentry points for domestic violence specialists in existingcommunity services.

ANNEMARIE NICOLDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

What event matters? Exploring therelationship between stressful events andpsychological distress in mothers ofinfantsTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

Psychological distress incorporates an importantcomponent of the overall health and wellbeing ofindividuals. Psychological distress also represents a risk

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factor for illnesses such as depression. In mothers,psychological distress has been linked with pooreroutcomes, both for the mother and her child. This studyexplored the relationship between stressful events andhigh psychological distress in mothers of infants. Using4,240 mothers of infants from the Longitudinal Study ofAustralian Children, it was found that certainsubpopulations of Australian mothers, such as youngmothers, single mothers, and unemployed mothers wereat an increased risk of reporting high psychologicaldistress. In addition, mothers with high distress were morelikely than mothers with low distress to reportexperiencing at least one stressful event within the past12 months. The study also found that although thenumber of stressful events predicted the likelihood of highpsychological distress, certain events were more stronglyassociated with high distress than other events. Theseincluded relationship separation, work disappointment andfinancial crisis. The results are discussed, with particularemphasis on policy implications.

LOUISE O’RANCEAustralian Institute of Health and [email protected]

The geography of disability and economicdisadvantageWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 1

The Australian government’s Social Inclusion Principlesfor Australia recognise the importance of using locationalapproaches to focus efforts on communities at high risk ofsocial exclusion, especially those whose members facemultiple disadvantage.

This presentation uses Census disability data, availablefor the first time, to paint a picture of the geography ofsevere disability in Australia. It will show that theproportion of people with severe or profound core activitylimitations varies considerably between regions, and willinvestigate the contribution of key demographic andgeographic factors to the variability in disability rates.

Special attention will be given to the distribution of severedisability within the state and territory capital cities.Evidence will be presented of a strong social gradientunderlying the geography of disability in the cities. Theanalysis will identify metropolitan communities whosemembers face significant barriers to social inclusion dueto high rates of severe disability as well as high relativesocioeconomic disadvantage. Implications for serviceplanning and delivery will be discussed in the light of thefacts presented.

PERI O’SHEA, MICHAEL DARCY ANDROSEMARY LEONARDSocial Justice & Social Change Research [email protected]

How are local or situated knowledge andexpertise in the non-profit sector faringunder the purchase-of-service model?THURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 2

This paper draws on data from three SJSC researchprojects examining the effects of quasi-market reform onnon-profit organisations in NSW. These projects compriseof: two interview studies and on-line survey of sectorworkers and management committee members. Thesestudies found that local knowledge is valued and seen asextremely significant to the effective provision ofcommunity services by workers and managementcommittee members of non-profit organisations. It wasfound that these same workers and managers believedthat the increased prescriptive nature of state and federalfunding programmes, through funding contracts, haddevalued or ‘side-lined’ local knowledge. Nonetheless, itwas also found that there was a degree of pragmaticadjustment in organisations that allowed them to continueto develop and use situated knowledge. Organisationswhose primary focus was community development, policyadvocacy or lobbying, however, were more likely to saythat the way that outcomes were reported or measuredwere not relevant to the aims of their programs. Thispaper explores how local knowledge and expertise isfaring under a purchase-of-service model and suggestsstrategies to assist organisations to ensure that needsspecific to their community remain relevant under thismodel.

JENNY ONYX, NINA BURRIDGE ANDELLEN BAKERCosmopolitan Civil Societies Research Centre, Universityof Technology. [email protected]

[R] Different types of community networksTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

Networks appear to be the basic ingredient of allcommunity action. But what kind of networks, howformalized, for what purpose, and what specific impactare questions about which there is little understanding ineither theory or practice.

This paper explores three civil-society networks in

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Abstracts by author

Australia, which differ in structure, decision-making, andsharing. The research involved interviews of keyinformants in several organizations from each network.

The first is a network with a "head office". Afterestablishment of "Job Network", employment-servicecontracts were awarded to external agencies, and theseagencies organized themselves into networks to jointly bidfor contracts. These networks with formal structuresproved difficult to manage.

The second network is the Aged Care Alliance, whichoperates in a traditional civil- society manner, withcommunity organizations collaborating to mount aparticular campaign, usually under the aegis of a peakbody. This network has mounted several very successfulcampaigns.

The third case describes a loose network, comprising anumber of small, activist organizations operated mainlyon-line and by young people. This type of network,although essential for the survival of these organizations,has no formalized structure.

The three networks are treated as ideal types and aretheorized, using complexity theory.

SIOBHAN O'SULLIVAN, MARK CONSIDINEAND JENNY LEWISUniversity of [email protected]

Flexibility and regulation: 10 years of JobNetwork frontline servicesWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 2

Reform of the Australian employment sector was initiatedby Paul Keating and subsequently intensified under theHoward Government, resulting in the privatisation ofAustralia’s employment services to an extent not seen inany other OECD country. In January 2008, with the ALPreturned to office, the Rudd Government quicklyundertook a review of Job Network, and concluded thatAustralia’s ‘new Employment Services will give Providersgreater flexibility in how they respond to the opportunitiesand constraints in each community.’* In short, theGovernment’s current reform agenda is explicitly focusedon provider discretion, elaborated services, and flexibility.

This paper uses survey data collected from frontlineemployment services staff in 1996 – 1999 and then againin 2008. In 2008, Australian frontline employment servicesprofessionals persistently reported a reduction in theirlevel of workplace autonomy. At the same time, survey

respondents reported an increased feeling that thedecisions they make are governed by standardised rulesand regulations, and that their IT system dictates howthey perform their duties. In 2008, frontline staff workingfor for-profit, and not-for-profit agencies, reported similarfeelings of rigidity. These findings suggest thatemployment services have become less discretionary andincreasingly inflexible, over the last decade.

* Commonwealth of Australia (2008), Exposure draft ofthe new employment services 2009–12 purchasingarrangements, p.26.

SARAH PARKER AND KAREN FISHERDepartment of Disability & Human Development,University of Illinois at Chicago, and Social PolicyResearch Centre, [email protected]

Facilitators and barriers in Australiandisability housing and support policies:using a human rights frameworkWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 4

Australian disability housing and support policies arechanging due to high unmet demand, new internationalapproaches and opportunities, and constraints in housingand disability sectors. This research applies a humanrights framework of goals in disability theory and policy toidentify and analyse the key facilitators and barriers toadequate supported living in Australia. These include:legislative and regulatory systems; building regulations;interagency coordination; current arrangements ofsupported living; funding and demand; staffing; the impactof discrimination; the importance of flexibility and choice;and the major concerns for carers of a person with adisability. Examples of national accommodation supportmodels are provided to offer insight into the range ofapproaches taken by states and territories in a changingpolicy context.

ROGER PATULNYSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Ex-household social contact amongstretired men and women in AustraliaFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 3

Social contact beyond partners and co-residents is vitalfor wellbeing in old age. Besides the obvious benefit tolife-quality, broader contact with family and friends who

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live outside the household (ex-HH) provides supportbeyond that available in one’s own household (in-HH),particularly in circumstances of relationship breakdown ordeath of a spouse. However, broader social contacts arelikely to be disrupted by retirement. Retirement is difficultto define, incorporating aspects such as ending work,defining oneself as ‘retired’ and more leisured, andentering a particular retirement ‘age’ where most partnersand peers are also retired. Retirement brings more freetime for socialising, but also changes one ‘community’ offriends, by ending regular contact with work friends anddisrupting partner’s social patterns as retired personsspend more time at home. These events have differentimplications for men and women. This paper reports onthe duration of time spent with exHH family/friends byretired and non-retired men and women using theAustralian Time Use Survey, 2006. Results vary by howretirement is defined and operationalised, but aninteraction effect between men and retirement predictingless social contact is present when a definition ofretirement integrating non-work, self-defined retirementand age is used. There is a consistently strong effect ofmarital status on social contact, no matter how retirementis defined.

DANIEL PERKINS, LAUREN TYRRELL ANDROSANNA SCUTELLAMelbourne Institute and Brotherhood of St [email protected]

Is career advancement important todisadvantaged jobseekers? Analysis of alarge survey of disadvantaged jobseekersTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 2

For many jobseekers low-paid work is in itself not a goodstepping stone towards a better job (Perkins & Scutella2007). Research indicates that some groups of Australianworkers are at risk of persistent low pay (Dunlop 2002;Richardson 2003). Evidence from the United Kingdomalso suggests that low-paid low-skilled employment, likeunemployment, can lead to similar ‘scarring’ effects onfuture employment opportunities, as these jobs allow skillsto deteriorate and act as signals to prospective employersof low future productivity (Stewart 2007). The policy focushas thus shifted from helping welfare recipients to obtainjobs, to supporting employment in quality jobs that offeropportunities for wage and career progression.‘Employment Retention and Advancement’ (ERA)demonstration programs have been developed in the USand the UK to learn what works in promoting stableemployment and career progression for welfare recipientsand other low-income workers.

While much has been learned about what factors are likelyto encourage (Brown et al. 1998); (Holzer 2004); (Kellardet al. 2002); (Strawn & Martinson 2000); (Yeo 2007) or actas a barrier to (Holzer et al. 2004); (Holzer & Martinson2005); (Wood & Paulsell 1999) advancement, there hasbeen comparatively less inquiry into how low-wage workersthemselves define advancement and their attitudes towardsit. This study seeks to fill part of the gap on research in thisarea by examining career aspirations amongst Australianunemployed and other jobless groups that have experiencedlong spells out of the workforce, such as sole parents andpeople with minor disabilities. Using survey and qualitativeinterview data from the ARC Linkage project ‘Job retentionand advancement of disadvantaged jobseekers’ the studywill determine the importance placed on and identifydeterminants of attitudes towards career advancement.

JULIA PERRY AND FRANCES [email protected]

'It’s easier to be a policeman than anunlocker of dreams': successfulemployment strategies in a deeplyexcluded areaWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 2

Recent employment policy was ‘work-first’, enforcedthrough harsh penalties for non-compliance. Casemanagement, vocational planning, skills development andstaged re-entry to work was rationed to certain categoriesof Job Network clients with emphasis on the individualrather linked with community development. The RuddGovernment is looking for more holistic approaches inareas of social exclusion.

Established in 2006, the Local Enterprise Centre (LEC) inAirds, a Sydney public housing suburb, successfullypromoted social engagement, skills development,employment and self employment. In a suburb with noemployment growth over the previous 4 years, employmentincreased by 20 per cent in two years and an impressivenumber of residents established themselves in self-employment. The LEC also provides a hub for communitydevelopment activities, services and referrals addressingother personal and family needs, training and skillsdevelopment in IT and other areas, a community runlibrary, a community garden, and arts and crafts. TheLEC used a socially inclusive, participative approach todecision-making, working with individuals and groups ofresidents to help them realise their aspirations in theeconomic, personal and community spheres. HousingNSW plans to replicate the LEC model in other areas.This paper reports on the LEC’s approach and outcomes.

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Abstracts by author

GUO PING AND LIU FANGChina Research Centre on [email protected] 1:30pm to 2:10pm. Arcade Room

A profile of aged population in China:results from 2000 and 2006 samplesurveys of the aged population inurban/rural China

This article presents a profile of the aging population inChina, aging policy in China, the Sample Survey of theAged Population in Urban/Rural China (SSAPUR 2000 &2006), and some results from two surveys.

This research has found significant differences betweenurban and rural areas. In comparison with rural areas,urban older people have better living condition but lesssatisfaction with housing, are less willing to live withchildren and a growing number live in “empty nests”.Rural elders are more likely to be lonely, show evidenceof poorer psychological well-being and have significantlyhigher needs for care.

This paper also presents recommendations forgovernment on social policy to facilitate improved livingconditions for older people in China.

RUTH PHILLIPSUniversity of [email protected]

Social inclusion/exclusion: a faultyparadigm for a strong welfare state?WEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 3

The social inclusion framework adopted by the new Laborgovernment has not only been liberally expressed as ameans of reorientation of the Australian welfare state butas a catchall phrase for broad social change - a recipe forsocial cohesion? Asserted as a reframing of the socialexclusion policy framework adopted by the UK Labourgovernment, recently reframed in the establishment of theSocial Exclusion Task Force and the Communities andLocal Governments Initiative, Australia’s social inclusionapproach is yet to be measured against outcomes oreven tested as a theoretically rigorous approach foraddressing social policy problems. So far we have seennational policy machinery put in place and the emergenceof a strong social inclusion discourse as the required‘social policy speak’ that, in many ways replicates, thesocial justice agenda of the latter years of theHawke/Keating regime. The key difference between social

justice and social inclusion as social policy frameworkrests with the place equality takes in both its theorisationand realisation.

Utilizing three case studies, this paper applies a criticalanalysis to social inclusion policy and the fundamentalproblems that arise when it is tested against what aregenerally asserted as the pillars of a strong welfare state.

JUDITH PLANITZDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Are separated families worse off? Ananalysis of mental health, perceptions ofsafety and alcohol use in married andseparated/divorced families.FRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 6

A significant body of research suggests that parentalseparation has an adverse effect on family outcomes.Growing evidence, however, suggests that often timesassociated effect sizes tend to be small or that effects areindirectly linked to family structure. This researchassessed potential differences between married andseparated/divorced families on three variables reported onby parents: mental health, perceptions of safety, andconsumption of alcohol. Data from the Household, Incomeand Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA, involvingapproximately 5,000 participants) survey were analysed.Results suggested that statistically significant differencesexist on variables; that is, those in separated/divorcedfamilies generally had worse outcomes. However, wheneffect sizes are taken into consideration, effects were verysmall, indicating that there is substantial overlap betweenthe family types. Overall, this research suggests that thesubstantial overlap should be considered wheninvestigating differences between family types; that policyshould consider the wide range of functioning in families;and that while there may be different dynamics in differentfamily types, family type should not be considered aloneas the defining variable in assessing family outcomes.

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CHRISTIANE PURCAL, BETTINA CASS,MYRA HAMILTON, CATHY THOMSON ANDDEBORAH BRENNANSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

From support to prevention: policies andservices for young carersTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 1

Young people who provide unpaid care for a relative withchronic illness or disability are a growing focus of publicpolicy and research in Australia and internationally.Policies and support services for these young carers haveemerged, but little has been done to categorise themaccording to their objectives and outcomes and assesstheir effectiveness.

In assessing young carer policies, this paper develops ananalytical framework that categorises policies andservices according to their goals and level of intervention.Services and policies may: support young people whoprovide care; mitigate the care-giving burden; and/orprevent the routinisation and normalisation of care work atan early stage. Analysis of the movement in policy foryoung carers from support to prevention is an innovativecontribution to both theory and policy analysis in a fieldwhich rarely goes beyond the concept of support forcarers.

In an original contribution, the framework is then used toassess young carer services available or recommended inAustralia as best practice. The paper draws on Australianand international literature and findings from Australianstudies on young carers. Findings stem predominantlyfrom focus groups and interviews with young carers andservice providers carried out in recent SPRC projects.

CHRISTIANE PURCAL, KRISTY MUIR,ROGER PATULNY, CATHY THOMSON,SAUL FLAXMAN AND CATHERINESPOONERSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The impact of the Communities forChildren program on partnerships amongservice providersFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

Partnerships denoted by collaboration and coordinationamong service providers are an important aspect of

human service delivery, including in the early childhoodsector. Government funders increasingly require servicesto work collaboratively and in a coordinated manner toincrease service efficiency and effectiveness. There isextensive international literature on factors contributing tosuccessful partnerships, but little evidence exists ofoutcomes when partnerships are funded components inlarge-scale programs.

This paper examines the outcomes of collaboration andcoordination from the Australian Government’sCommunities for Children (CfC) program, implemented in45 sites around the country. Based on quantitative andqualitative findings from a three-year evaluation of CfC,the paper outlines changes in partnerships among earlychildhood service providers and outcomes for servicesand children, as well as facilitating factors and barriers tochange.

The data indicated that the partnership focus of CfChelped improve the delivery of early years services.Agency staff worked together significantly more andservices engaged better with clients, and this wasassociated with improved outcomes for children and theirfamilies. However, the effectiveness of CfC partnershipsdepended on structural, organisational and practicalfactors such as the skill of partnership agency staff, pre-existing service networks and the site’s geography.

JOANNE PYKEVictoria [email protected]

Perspectives from below the ceiling:conceptualising gender inequality inhigher education leadership in the contextof change.WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 5

Women remain under-represented within the Australianprofessoriate despite more than twenty years of equalemployment opportunity policy and initiatives.This is in thecontext that women’s participation is now equal orbecoming equal at lower academic levels. This paperdiscusses findings of doctoral research that explores theconditions that operate to constrain women’s transitionfrom senior lecturer level (Level C) to Associate Professor(Level D). In particular, the research explores whether ornot women are pulling out from promotion to theprofessoriate just when they have the human capital to beeligible and potentially successful.

Using critical realism as a theoretical perspective, the

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Abstracts by author

questions posed by the research rely on a case study ofone Australian university. In particular, the research drawson interviews with women academics who are currentlyappointed at Level C. A key focus is on the relationshipsbetween structure and agency and how genderedprocesses operate to shape the ‘choice’ of whether toaspire to promotion to Level D. Findings show that whilethe pathway is clear for some, the cumulative effect ofmultiple delays experienced over the course of anacademic working life combine to make the aspiration toLevel D either untenable and/or undesirable.

PETA RAFTERYAnglicare South [email protected]

Investigating the predictors of social andeconomic inclusionTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 6

The complex nature of social and economic disadvantageis well documented, with factors such as low levels ofeducation, unemployment, family breakdown and poorhealth widely regarded as contributing to suchdisadvantage. This complexity is also acknowledged ingovernment policy and initiatives designed to addresssocial inclusion, both within Australia and overseas, withthe phrase ‘joined-up solutions for joined-up problems’often being cited. What remains unclear, however, is theway in which characteristics and circumstances such asthose mentioned above interact to influence the level ofinclusion or exclusion experienced by an individual. Thispaper begins to address this issue by reporting on thefindings of a survey conducted in a South Australian localgovernment area to investigate the predictors of socialinclusion. The paper proposes a model, derived throughstructural equation modelling, that represents the inter-relationships between the various predictors of social andeconomic inclusion. Perhaps more significantly in terms ofits implications for social policy, the paper alsodifferentiates between the predictors of social inclusionand the predictors of economic inclusion.

MARIANNE RAJKOVIC AND KYLIEVALENTINESocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The experience of families arounddiagnosis of a child with Autism SpectrumDisorder: finding from a qualitative studyTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

This paper draws from a research project, ‘Post-diagnosissupport for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD), their families and carers’, which is beingconducted at the Social Policy Research Centre at theUniversity of New South Wales and funded by theCommonwealth Department of Families, Housing,Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The projectdraws on qualitative interviews with families, cliniciansand service providers to explore the experience offamilies in the period following diagnosis, and thesupports and services that families find most effective.

This paper explores the tasks parents face in finding andchoosing therapies, and the engagement of parents intherapeutic programs. For autism spectrum disorder thepath from diagnosis to treatment is not clear cut. Aschildren with ASD present with symptoms which arediverse from sensory deficits to communication problems,with intellectual deficits being present for some children,the most suitable treatment can be much harder todetermine than for many other disabling conditions.Parents often feel disempowered and overwhelmed bythe diagnosis of ASD. The priorities for families inselecting therapies are often based on reducing theseverity of behavioural traits of autism which are antisocial, improving communication and eliciting emotionalresponse from the child. Several therapeutic approachesto ASD involve a ‘parent training’ component, changingthe ways that parents (and sometimes siblings)communicate with and interact with the child with ASD. Inthis paper, we discuss the processes by which parentsmake decisions about treatment and their experiences oftheir child’s treatment.

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JIOJI RAVULO, ANNE HAMPSHIRE ANDPRUE BURNSMission [email protected]

Young people and the juvenile justicesystem: a research, policy and practicedisconnect?WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 6

On any given day in Australia 6,000 young people areunder juvenile justice supervision. The daily averagenumber of young people who are incarcerated isincreasing, despite clear and consistent evidence of thepoor outcomes achieved through incarceration.Conversely, there is growing evidence of the positiveimpact of integrated holistic community based programswhich work with young people involved in the juvenilejustice system, and their families, peers, communities andthe institutions in which they come into contact. Is there aresearch, policy and practice disconnect?

This presentation will report on new in-depth researchconducted with 100 young people involved in the juvenilejustice system, half of whom are of Pacific background. Itwill highlight the differences and similarities between thePacific and non-Pacific young people, explore the rolethat culture, family and community plays for these youngpeople, identify the strengths of this group of youngpeople as well as systemic factors which can workagainst their rehabilitation. It will showcase an externallyevaluated program which is achieving significant andpositive results across a whole range of domains foryoung people, including a significant reduction in re-offending. It will conclude with a range of policy andprogram recommendations.

MARGOT RAWSTHORNEUniversity of [email protected]

[R] Creating inclusive rural communities:grass roots perspectives on theopportunities and challengesTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

Rural communities in developed countries such asAustralia, the United States, the United Kingdom andIreland have experienced profound challenges over thepast three decades. The social fabric of rural communitiesin these countries has been and will continue to beaffected by global and local processes that compound

poverty and exclusion. The paper then asks, given thissocial exclusion and poverty how can social inclusion beachieved for these rural communities? Drawing on theexperiences in North Eastern United States, the ScottishHighlands, Ireland and Northern England the paperexamines how communities, particularly through the thirdsector, are responding to this crisis. What are theopportunities and challenges to creating social inclusive,vibrant and sustainable rural communities in developedcountries?

GERRY REDMONDSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Children’s right to development: howshould we interpret ‘fullest potential’?THURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 5

The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that“States Parties agree that the education of the child shallbe directed to the development of the child's personality,talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullestpotential.” Although the term ‘fullest potential’ has beenwidely used, there has been little discussion of how it canbe interpreted, or of its implications for the realisation ofchildren’s rights. My purpose in this article is to offer oneinterpretation of the meaning of ‘fullest potential’. Ipropose that while legal conceptualizations of humanrights, currently dominant in the human rights discourse,cannot easily accommodate aspirational notions such as‘fullest potential’, ethical conceptualisations of humanrights offered by Thomas Pogge and Amartya Sen canaccommodate the aspirations embodied in this term. Ialso propose that ‘fullest potential’ can be used as apractical motivator for policies to reduce inequities inoutcomes among children. Discussion of the termhowever also brings to the fore a number of issues thatremain unresolved in wider human rights debates, suchas how priorities for children’s education should besocially agreed, debated and adapted over time, andprioritisation of use of scarce resources for the realisationof human rights.

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Abstracts by author

GARY ROBINSON*, YOMEI JONES*, KATEMCGUINNESS*, STEPHEN R ZUBRICK**AND, SVEN R SILBURN***Charles Darwin University; **Curtin University ofTechnology and the Telethon Institute for Child HealthResearch, ***Menzies School of Health [email protected]

Partnerships to develop early interventionand prevention: the Let’s Start project inurban, regional and remote contexts of theNTWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 3

Evidence suggests that University research capacity canbe used to develop effective preventive strategies in childwelfare, education and public health. However, thesystematic use of research and development to buildintervention capacity is not yet a feature of the Australiansetting. A narrow construction of the role of researchwithin current bureaucratic and policy thinking constrainsthe utilization of research to develop capacity at thecommunity level. Using the example of the innovativeLet’s Start project, an early intervention program targetingIndigenous children in urban and remote areas of theNorthern Territory, this paper highlights the challenge ofestablishing and maintaining partnerships between theUniversity, the education sector and other agencies todevelop quality services in a context of high need andvery limited service capacity.

PETER SAUNDERS AND MELISSA WONGSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Still doing it tough: an update ondeprivation and social exclusion amongwelfare service clientsTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 6

This paper will report results from a new survey ofdisadvantaged Australians conducted in 2008 and drawcomparisons with the situation in 2006. Both surveysrecruited clients of selected welfare services when theyaccessed services or sought assistance and thus providean important insight into the circumstances of thoseexperiencing the most extreme forms of disadvantage.The methods and indicators developed in earlier SPRCresearch will be used to examine the incidence ofdifferent forms of disadvantage as well as the incidence ofmultiple disadvantage, and the robustness of these

methods will be tested across the two surveys. Attentionwill focus on comparing the level and patterns ofdeprivation and social exclusion among different groups(including those reliant on different social securitypayments) and how they have changed over the periodusing benchmarks that capture community views onwhich items and activities are essential for all Australiansto have or to participate in. Evidence on the existence ofdeprivation and exclusion will be correlated withinformation on the experience of adverse events andsubjective perceptions of well-being as a way ofidentifying the kinds of factors that trigger the onset ofdisadvantage and the consequences that result for theindividuals affected.

POOJA SAWRIKAR AND ILAN KATZSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

[R] How useful is the term ‘culturally andlinguistically diiverse’ (CALD) in Australianresearch and policy discourse?THURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) wasintroduced in 1996 to replace Non-English SpeakingBackground (NESB), both of which are commonly used inthe social policy discourse to refer to all of Australia’sethnic groups other than the English-speaking, Anglo-Saxon majority. However, CALD has developed negativeconnotations. It can produce ‘relational exclusion’, or thefeeling of not belonging, for both minority ethnics groupsas well as the majority, and it can produce ‘distributional’exclusion, which refers to unequal access to services,opportunities, or representation. We argue that CALDshould only be used in a functional way to celebrateAustralia’s diversity, but not in a categorical way to referto a sub-group of its population. For this latter function,we propose the term ‘Australians Ethnically Diverse andDifferent from the Majority’ (AEDDM). We explore in thispaper how this term can provide researchers,practitioners, and policy makers with a better ability tomonitor and respond to their level of social exclusion andinequity to services, opportunities and representation, asthe basis for promoting ethnic equality in the future.

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XIAOYUAN SHANG AND MORRIS SALDOVSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSWx.shang unsw.edu.au

Rights of children and kinship foster carein China

The paper examines the system of child care andprotection in rural China from the perspective of childrights. Based on field investigations from 2005 to 2008,the authors find that the premise of child protection ischild contracts instead of human rights of children. Thatmeans children are protected because they are expectedto take responsibilities and obligations to repay theirparents or guardians. The main problems facing thesystem include: i) Female and disabled children arediscriminated; ii) mothers are excluded from caring forchildren; iii) without external support, the main caregivers: grandparents, are not capable of providingorphans adequate support, and orphans may face highrisks in their life and poverty. The paper concludes that itis urgent that China establishes a child rights basedsystem of care and protection.

SHEILA SHAVERVisiting Fellow, Social Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

A sociology for nation-building and thelimits of public sociologyFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

Recently critics have decried the apparent decline of thepublic intellectual and the relative absence of academicvoices in democratic debate. More positively, Burawoyand others have sought to validate a reinvigorated publicsociology in parallel with the professionalised sociologicalmainstream. This paper recalls an earlier conception ofsocial science, mainstream in its own time, as scientificknowledge with the capacity to inform social policy anddemocratic process. Australian sociology developed inthe post-war years and, like its counterparts in many othercountries, was imbued with the nation-building ethos ofthe period. The paper examines that conception of socialscience in the work of Jean Isobel Martin (1923-1979),the ‘founding mother’ of Australian sociology. Best knownfor her research on immigration, she created an empiricalsociology in dialogue with an expanding post-war welfarestate. Martin understood social science knowledge as atonce an account of the social world and a product of it.This paper addresses the relationship between socialscience as a form of academic knowledge and socialscience as it supports and frames interventions in the

public arenas of democratic debate and decision. In the21st century both of these domains have becomeincreasingly internationalised, the subjects of globaldebate and cross-national policy borrowing. The tensionsbetween academic and public sociology are being felt indifferent national and political contexts. Martin’sconception, emphasising objectivity but also reflexivity,met limits in the 1970s politicisation of social knowledge.This paper considers the implications of these limits for a21st century public sociology.

MEGAN SHIPLEY AND TAMARABLAKEMOREDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Parenting in place: exploring parentingbehaviours and socioeconomic position inthe context of neighbourhoodsTHURSDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

Children rely on their parents to care for them, provide forthem and keep them safe from harm. This can present agreater challenge for disadvantaged families as they havefewer resources available to aid in parenting theirchildren. Research consistently shows factors such associoeconomic position as well as family and communitycharacteristics are associated with parenting, which inturn influences child outcomes. However, there is littleAustralian work examining these factors jointly.Consequently, disadvantaged and poor families are oftenlabelled as ‘bad parents’ without clear understanding ofthe contexts in which they parent their children. Thisresearch uses Wave 2 data of the Longitudinal Study ofAustralian Children to explore parenting across asocioeconomic gradient while also consideringneighbourhood factors which may influence therelationship. Preliminary analyses indicate socioeconomicposition and some parent perceptions of neighbourhoodare both related to parenting behaviours. This lendsevidence to the notion that parenting, socioeconomicdisadvantage and neighbourhood characteristics are notmutually exclusive and should not be considered inisolation. A solid understanding of how these factors applyto parenting will ensure a responsive social policyframework that intertwines both socio-economicdisadvantage and place-based approaches to build strongfamilies and communities and ensure the wellbeing ofAustralian children.

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Abstracts by author

JEN SKATTEBOL AND MEGAN GRIFFITHSSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Young people’s experiences of economicadversityWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 6

This presentation explores the experiences andperspectives of young Australians who face economicadversity. The Making a Difference research project aimsto better understand what matters to these youngAustralians in order to better design interventions thatmake a difference to their lives. To date, 55 semi-structured interviews and 9 small groups have beenconducted with young people aged 11 to 17 fromeconomically disadvantaged families. Young people’sstories reveal that they have a multi-layered and nuancedunderstanding of their circumstances and adopt a varietyof complex strategies for overcoming adversity. Manyhave complex income arrangements in their families andhouseholds to buffer the effects of economic adversity.While these complex arrangements are sometimeseffective ways of mobilising resources, many of theseyoung people are unclear about the actions needed tonavigate the education and employment systems in orderto generate more secure longer-term incomes.Furthermore, young people have repeatedly drawn ourattention to the poor quality of their physical environmentsand the impact of these environments on theirrelationships. The findings illustrate the value of hearingfrom young people about the interplay of the multiplecommunities which impact on their lives, and how theyattempt to negotiate viable pathways of inclusion andsupport to escape from a sense of deprivation andexclusion.

MARGARET SKILLMANDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Transition support: helping older carersand their families - summary of findingsTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

This paper highlights the findings from interviewsconducted with 1600 older carers (over the age of 65years) caring for immediate family members with disability(over the age of 40 years). The focus of the interviewswas to discuss options for providing future care for theirimmediate family member with disability, and also to

provide referrals for services to continue to support oldercarers to provide care within their home for as long asthey were capable, or wished to do so.

The discussions with the older carers did in fact providean understanding of the formal service needs of thisgroup and provided an insight into their unmet supportneeds and their identified future support needs. However,what also emerged from these interviews was importantinformation about a large group of carers who are notconnected to formal services, who are socially isolated,are maintaining highly complex caring arrangements, whoare struggling in their caring role due to their own poorhealth and increasing frailty, and whilst they areconcerned for the future, do not have care plans in place,in the eventuality they are no longer able to care.

Finally, the paper also considers what we have learnt fromolder carers about the importance of early intervention,case management and coordination of services, andassistance with formulating future plans.

DIANA SMART, ANN SANSON, JENNYBAXTER, BEN EDWARDS AND ALANHAYESAustralian Institute of Family Studies and University [email protected]

Home to school transitions for financiallydisadvantaged children: findings fromGrowing Up in Australia, the LongitudinalStudy of Australian ChildrenWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 6

This paper presents findings from a study commissionedby The Smith Family and conducted by the AustralianInstitute of Family Studies, which aimed to identify keyinfluences on Australian children’s school readiness,particularly children in financially disadvantagedhouseholds. A large set of child, family and broaderenvironmental factors were found to be related tochildren’s school readiness. When this set of variableswas included together with family financial disadvantage(FD), financial disadvantage was seldom a uniquepredictor. Nevertheless, children from FD families weremore likely to show low school readiness, due to themuch higher rates of risk factors evident among thisgroup. There was considerable commonality in the factorsrelated to school readiness for children from FD and non-FD households. School readiness at 4-5 years was apowerful predictor of school achievement and adjustment

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at 6-7 years, and family FD increased the likelihood ofpoor literacy progress. Findings are discussed in relationto two models proposed to explain links between FD andlow school readiness: the family stress model, whichappeared particularly relevant for social and emotionalreadiness; and the family investment model whichappeared salient for learning and cognitive readiness.

BRUCE SMYTH, BRYAN RODGERS,JEREMY TEMPLE, MARIAN ESLER ANDALLAN SHEPHARD (CSA)Australian National University; Department of Families,Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs;and Child Support [email protected]

Patterns of post-separation parenting,family dynamics and family wellbeingamong separated parents registered withthe Child Support Agency: a pre-reformsnapshot and plan for post-reforminvestigationWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 2

Sweeping changes to the Child Support Scheme wererecently introduced, featuring a dramatically differentsystem for the calculation of child support. The extent towhich the new Scheme is perceived to be ‘fairer’ and hasimproved the wellbeing of children and their families is ofconsiderable policy interest, both in Australia andoverseas. This paper describes the parentingarrangements and circumstances of a national randomsample of 5,046 Child Support Agency clients just prior tothe introduction of the new formula on 1 July 2008. Thesepre-reform baseline data are the first plank in a newlongitudinal investigation of the impacts of the revisedScheme.

CIARA SMYTH AND SAMIA MICHAILSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Exploring young carers’ active agencyFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 1

The recognition of children and young people as activeagents, not merely passive subjects, has become acornerstone of much research undertaken in the socialsciences over the last three decades. This research hassought to actively engage with children and young peopleto gain greater insight into their subjective understandings

of their lives, while noting that this agency operates withinconstraints. Drawing on research with young carers whoprovide support and assistance for family members withan illness or disability or are frail aged, this paperexplores children and young people as active agentswithin their families and communities. The paper alsodescribes the research techniques employed to activelyengage these young carers in the research process. Thepaper concludes with a discussion of the research andsome reflections on the effectiveness of themethodologies employed.

HELEN SZOKEChief Conciliator/ Chief Executive Officer of the VictorianEqual Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, [email protected]

Social inclusion and human rights -strange bedfellows on the road to anauthentically Australian inclusion agendaFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

This paper explores the capacity to develop anauthentically Australian concept of social inclusion bypositing it within and alongside a human rights policyparadigm.

Noting the emergent primacy of social inclusion in publicpolicy, and in light of the current debate about whether toadopt a federal Charter of Human Rights, Dr Szokeargues that a progressive approach will see what aresometimes seen as separate constructs converge.

Currently, despite its potential strength in recognising themulti-dimensional causes of marginalisation includingsystemic discrimination, contemporary discussions ofsocial inclusion appear almost devoid of human rightscontent, to the detriment of both policy frameworks.

The paper will critically evaluate the progression from aneeds based to rights based model, arguing thattraditional conceptual barriers between anti-poverty theoryand legalist constructions of human rights fail our mostmarginalised communities.

Using examples from the disability and culturally diversecommunities, Dr Szoke will explore whether socialinclusion can be made more robust if linked to a humanrights framework, so that those currently on the marginsare able to participate as fully valued, respected andcontributing members of society.

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KATHY TANNOUS, FIONA HILFERTY ANDMEGAN GRIFFITHSSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

The Brighter Futures program in NewSouth Wales - interim findingsWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 3

This paper presents interim findings from a longitudinalevaluation of the NSW Department of CommunityServices’ (DoCS) Brighter Futures program. Thisevaluation is currently being conducted by a team ofresearchers at SPRC to examine the effectiveness of theprogram in meeting the needs and improving the lives ofparticipant children and their families. As an earlyintervention program, the overall aim of Brighter Futuresis to prevent the escalation of serious family problemsthat may impact upon a parent’s ability to care forchildren, and may lead to a progression of the familythrough the Child Protection System. Brighter Futures is avoluntary program, with families generally being offeredservices following a risk of harm report to DoCS in whichthe children have been assessed as being at low tomedium risk of harm. This presentation will provideinterim findings from a state-wide survey designed tomeasure client families’ progress whilst on the program;interviews conducted with client families; and analysis ofclient family data including risk-of-harm reports. Thepresentation will include a discussion of the challengesinvolved in this evaluation.

JANET TAYLOR AND NINA GEEBrotherhood of St [email protected]

Life chances and social inclusion ineducationFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

The Federal Government is promoting the EducationRevolution as a key part of the social inclusion agenda:

"Investing in the education, skills and training of ouryoung people and our workforce is the best way toenhance the life chances of individual Australians andboost the productivity and prosperity of our nation."(Prime Minister’s website)

The Brotherhood of St Laurence’s longitudinal study, theLife Chances Study explores the experiences of a diversegroup of young Australians making the transition fromschool to further training and employment. The study

commenced in 1990 with children born in that year. By theend of 2008 most of the 140 participants, now 18 yearolds, had finished school and were making crucial decisionsabout their futures, in the context of economic downturn.

The paper draws on both the longitudinal data and thenew data of stage 9 of the study to explore:

– What are the differences in school completion andacademic achievement for the 18 year olds who havegrown up in low-income families and those in higherincome families?

– What are the factors affecting their inclusion in education?

Implications of the findings for promoting an inclusivepolicy are outlined.

DENISE THOMPSONSocial Policy Research Centre, UNSW [email protected]

[R] ‘Beyond left and right’ or ‘the end ofideology’? Comparing two discoursesWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 3

This paper argues that there are similarities betweenrecent arguments to the effect that politics has moved‘beyond left and right’ and the 1950s Cold War thesisconcerning ‘the end of ideology’. In particular it arguesthat both are ideological offensives against the left, andas such, both are right-wing, claims to neutrality andmoderation notwithstanding. The paper starts by brieflydefining ‘left’ and ‘right’ in terms of stances in relation topower-as-domination. The main part of the paper isdevoted to a discussion of what each discourse has hadto say about both the left and the right, in order todemonstrate some of the ways in which both discoursescan be regarded as right-wing. It points out that politicstoday, far from transcending any left/right distinction,demands ever greater clarity and vigilance about what isat stake. It concludes by raising the question (but notanswering it) of why there has been a renewedideological offensive against the left, given the success ofneo-liberal policies worldwide.

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CATHY THOMSON, TRISH HILL, CIARASMYTH AND BETTINA CASSSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

I’m just helping out the family: profilinghidden young carersWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 6

The term ‘young carer’ is used in research and policy todenote children and young people who provide assistanceand support to people with disability or chronic illness.The term tends to be recognised by young people onlyafter they come in contact with services. Much of theknowledge about young carers is therefore based on thisgroup. It is widely acknowledged, however, that existingresearch does not capture the full extent of youngpeople’s caregiving, as many remain hidden and do notidentify with the term ‘young carer’, instead perceivingwhat they do as part of normal family life.

This paper uses an innovative method to identify andprofile the demographic characteristics and geographicaldistribution of these potential or hidden young carers. Ananalysis of Census investigates whether caringdifferentially affects identified and potential or hiddenyoung carers’ current social and economic participationand, hence, their opportunities in later life. Results showthat young people of Indigenous and CALD backgroundsare over represented among potential carers. The policyimplications and recommendations for future servicedevelopment to best identify and support hidden youngcarers are then discussed.

KAY TURNERSDN Child and Family [email protected]

Transformative or a new hegemonicdiscourse?WEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 5

Social inclusion has been of international interest sincethe1980s in response to the social impact of marketconditions and in particular, to increasing povertyjuxtaposed against increasing wealth. In this context, theAustralian Labor Party (ALP) introduced an AustralianSocial Inclusion Agenda when elected to office in 2007and has subsequently been discussing the agenda widely.However, the concept of social inclusion is a contestedconcept that lacks clarity and can conceal assumptionsand agendas.

This presentation will report on findings of a study thatused discourse analysis of documents relating to theAustralian Social Inclusion Agenda to explore the explicitand embedded meanings of social inclusion containedwithin them. The analysis provided evidence of diversemeanings being applied to social inclusion by the currentAustralian Government. Given this evidence it will beproposed that, rather than being transformative, the newAustralian Social Inclusion Agenda contains a masternarrative. Such a narrative risks sustaining and furtheringa hegemonic discourse that, if acted upon in policy, couldfurther stigmatise and exclude those the agenda purportsto include.

MARIA VNUKDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Private collect arrangements and childsupportWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 2

This paper will add to the limited information aboutparents who transfer child support payments privatelybetween themselves and not through the Child SupportAgency (CSA). Using data from the General Population ofParents 2006, the paper compares parents who pay (orare meant to pay) child support and parents who receive(or are meant to receive child support) by demographiccharacteristics and family composition, separationexperience, current relationship, proximity and frequencyof communication about the children, and payment/receiptof child support. Some differences between paying andreceiving parents will also be discussed (the groups ofparents are not ex-couples). The paper highlights thesignificance of the separation itself and the post-separation parental relationship for a successful privatecollect arrangement. As is common with this type ofresearch, receiving parents reported a lot lower rate ofreceipt of child support than parents reported as requiredto pay. 55.9 per cent of CSA collect and 79.5 per cent ofprivate collect parents reported that their child support isalways received full and on time. 82.1 per cent of CSAcollect parents and 93.5 per cent of private collect parentsreported that they always paid their child support in fulland on time.

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LIH-RONG WANGSocial Policy Research Center, National Taiwan [email protected] 11AM-12:30AM, ARCADE ROOM

Social inclusion in Taiwan: a preliminarysubjective investigation under theframework of social quality

This paper outlines a preliminary attempt to measuresocial inclusion in Taiwan through a framework of socialquality. The research investigates social inclusionvariables using factor analysis, testing the correlationbetween dependent and independent variables in sevenmultivariate regression models drawn from acomprehensive social quality survey. Across all models,this research suggests social inclusion is weak in Taiwan.In addition, education, democratic satisfaction, and thelevel of group participation are the most importantvariables for an individual’s subjective feelings aboutsocial inclusion. The models examine different domains ofsocial inclusion, such as social networks, and socialservice, and citizenship. In addition to its findings aboutsocial inclusion, this paper provides supplementaryevidence on the link between subjective and objectivemeasures of social quality.

TINGYU WANGLeonard Cheshire [email protected]

Empowerment for people with disablities(rights-based programmes for PWDs)TUESDAY 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, ARCADE ROOM

This paper discusses the impact of the development of arights-based approach for people with disability incommunities. A series of pilot projects for people withdisability undertaken in the countries of East Asia andPacific Region which aimed to resolve issues related todisability, in particular, individual and family poverty andhigh levels of unemployment.

Some of the pilot projects focused on the communitydevelopment of empowerment for people with disabilities,training for partners of disabled person’s support agenciesand people with disabilities; strengthening capacitybuilding, empowering the accessibility of communityservices for people with disability, education, employment,working together with people with disability to advocateand Campaign on the UN Convention on the Rights ofPeople with Disabilities. The programme identified a gulf

between legal policy intentions and their effectivepractice, a lack of integrated mechanisms for effectiveservices for people in legislation and policy designed tosupport people with disability in most of the pilotcountries. With technical and financial support fromLeonard Cheshire Disability, the programme implementedin China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippinesdemonstrated the effectiveness of holistic approaches torights-based programming for people with disabilities.

In the project areas, there is increased recognition of therights of people with disability; there is more opendiscussion of vulnerability, social exclusion anddiscrimination; and poverty has been reduced. Forexample, the China Economic Empowerment project hasprovided more job opportunities; in the Philippines, theinclusive education project has helped 1300 disabledchildren to enjoy a meaningful education; and in BandaAceh of Indonesia, the Disability Resource Centre isproviding comprehensive services in communities foraround 660 persons with disabilities. The programmesincreased accessible community services; awareness ofgender inequalities; understanding of social exclusion andpoverty for families with disabilities; and knowledge oftrafficking in disabled children, and the abuse andabandonment of children with disability.

LOUISE WARDJob [email protected]

Employment services for tough timesWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 2

Over the next year, unemployment is forecast to grow to7%. This increase is the most dramatic that Australia hasseen since the late 80s/early 90s. However, theGovernment designed its new employment servicedelivery model – ‘Jobs Service Australia’ for good times,how well it will perform in the current labour market wherewe are facing widespread retrenchment and increasingunemployment is unknown. Its ability to provide servicesto newly retrenched workers and long term unemployedjob seekers will be critical to its success.

This paper will explore the impact of this new model onjob seekers, both long term unemployed and the newlyretrenched. It will discuss ways the system may need toadapt to ensure that newly retrenched workers get theassistance they need – when they need it - and ways toensure that long term unemployed job seekers are notfurther disadvantaged and isolated from the labour market.

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The paper will draw on focus group studies, which explorethe experiences of newly retrenched workers, their needsand their response to the services available. We will alsodraw on the experience of Job Futures as a provider ofemployment services for more than 10 years.

LOUISE WATSONCentre for Research on Education, Poverty and SocialInclusion (CREPSI), Univeristy of [email protected]

[R] The challenge of social inclusion forAustralian schoolingFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 8

The social inclusion policy agenda has led to significantreform of the way in which governments deliver socialservices. The health and community services sectorshave been transformed by structural changes emanatingfrom "joined up government" arrangements and multi-sectoral partnerships. Yet in spite of its dominance innational and international social policy circles, the socialinclusion policy agenda has had minimal impact on howwe deliver schooling. Although schools play a major rolein determining the life chances of individuals, educationhas remained beyond the reach of the social inclusionpolicy agenda. This paper argues that reform of ourschool education systems is critical to achieving a moresocially inclusive society. The author identifies directionsfor the reform of school education policy that wouldimprove the capacity of schools to promote socialinclusion. The paper reviews recent national governmentpolicy initiatives that aim to make Australian schools moreresponsive to the social inclusion policy agenda. Some ofthe challenges for Australian education policy inpromoting social inclusion are discussed.

LEANNE WEBER AND HELEN MCKERNANUniversity of New South Wales and Swinburne [email protected]

Immigration status, uncertainty andcommunity policingFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 3

With increasing global mobility, local communities arecharacterised not only by ethnic diversity but ongoingtransnational linkages and differences in identification ascitizens. Immigration status is therefore an importantaspect of the structural positioning of people from minoritycultural groups. The interplay of an insecure immigration

status with gender, ethnicity and socio-economic statushas implications for people’s vulnerability to exploitationand readiness to seek help. The paper explores howuncertain immigration status impacts on the every dayexperiences of security and safety by VietnameseAustralians. The study contributes to a four-year ARCLinkage project, ‘Exploring the experience of security inthe Australian Vietnamese community: practicalimplications for policing’. The ethics of border control andpolicing approaches are questioned, particularlyinterventions that exacerbate insecurity for alreadymarginalised people. The authors consider the implicationsfor cooperative policing models in communitiescharacterised by diversity of immigration status.

PETER WHITEFORDSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Australian tax-transfer policy incomparative perspectiveWEDNESDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:00 PM, CLB 5

This paper will provide a background for considering keysocial security transfer policy issues in Australia. Thepaper will be based in a range of major databasesdeveloped by the OECD Secretariat, including the socialexpenditure database, the “net social expenditure”database, the benefit recipient database, the incomedistribution database, and the benefits and wagesdatabase. The paper will concisely summarise the mainconclusions to be drawn from analysis of these datasources and identify implications for reform of Australiantransfer payments. In particular, the paper will place theAustralian system of social transfers and taxes in aninternational comparative perspective, identifying thedistinctive design features and outcomes of Australianarrangements, as well as the similarities betweenAustralian arrangements and those in other countries;discuss the distributional profile of Australian transferscompared to those in other OECD countries, and howthese have developed over the past two decades; andassess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australiansystem in terms of poverty reduction and impacts onincome inequality.

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PETER WHITEFORD AND XIN YISocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Sustaining pension reform in ChinaTUESDAY 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, ARCADE ROOM

China is continuing the process of developing a pensionsystem through a time of unparalleled economic anddemographic transition. The situation is furthercomplicated by the global financial crisis, which can beviewed as calling into question many of the basicassumptions of the model adopted in China.

Since 1997 many significant reforms have beenimplemented and the framework and direction for anational unified system has been set out. In spite of thissignificant progress, the scope of the system remainslimited, as the coverage rate among urban employeesremains below 50%. The rural population remains largelyoutside the national pension system, and it currentlyseems likely that the majority of the population will remaindependent on old age provision through family support formany years to come. The system must also deal with thesituation of migrant workers, where the problems rangefrom those associated with low coverage to thoseassociated with guaranteeing equitable treatment topersons retiring in different parts of the country andsubject to differing conditions of entitlement.

The current situation provides a "demographic window"until around 2015 to address these short-comings.Extending coverage through improved compliance byemployees and companies as well as the continuingfinancial commitment towards the National Social SecurityFund are crucial to create the financial and institutionalbasis that can cushion the effects of a much olderpopulation, starting in about 20 years time.

This paper analyses how far the process of creating anational old age insurance system has proceeded. Itprovides an assessment of to what degree the pensionsystem has achieved "its primary goal of social securityfor more people" (Chinese Government, September 2006),and looks at the challenges in building a national system.

STEWART WILLIAMS AND KEITH JACOBSUniversity of [email protected]

Housing agencies’ roles in preparing forand responding to natural disastersTHURSDAY 1:30 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 4

Natural disasters are rapid onset events that have hugeconsequences for individuals and communities, causinginjury and death as well as extensive damage to privateproperty and public infrastructure, and requiring a broadgovernment and multi-agency response to facilitaterecovery. Most significant in Australia are bushfires,floods, storms and cyclones. It is generally accepted thatclimate change, population growth and other demographicshifts have accentuated the risks faced by populations. Innearly all such disasters, there is a need to provideemergency shelter, temporary forms of housing, repairs todamaged property and welfare support for the householdsaffected. While there is considerable understanding of theprocedures that are used in disaster management, thereis a gap in knowledge with respect to how key actorsengage in the various planning and response activitiesand negotiate the complex array of tasks required. Thispaper reports on the findings from an investigation fundedby the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute toexplore the role of housing agencies in preparing for andresponding to natural disasters. It discusses theopportunities as well as conflicts and tensions that arisewhen housing agencies seek to implement procedures,and the insights gleaned from recent disasters in the ACT,NSW and Queensland.

SHAUN WILSON, GABRIELLE MEAGHERAND KERSTIN HERMESMacquarie University, University of Sydney, [email protected]

Deservingness: perceptions of who hasgained in Australia’s new welfare stateWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 5

The Howard Government was an activist regime inseveral key areas of social policy— retirement incomes,income support for people of working age, family policy,health, and housing. Measures reoriented theseprograms, sometimes subtly, sometimes radically, creatingnew categories of winners and losers. We analyse newdata from the Australian Election Study 2007 to examinehow awareness of policy developments (knowledge),

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perceptions of deservingness (attitudes), and receipt ofbenefits (constituency effects) shape the public’swillingness to support measures targeted at differentsocial groups. We find that, despite considerable‘toughening’ of residual welfare system, many Australiansare reluctant to recognise that reforms have tightened thewelfare rules on marginal groups (immigrants, Aboriginalpeople, and the unemployed), and believe that thesegroups deserve even tougher treatment. There is somerecognition that the main ‘middle class’ targets ofincreasingly generous welfare measures (home buyers,retirees, and working families) benefited under Howard –but the public still believes these groups deserve more.We conclude by drawing out the implications of this newpublic opinion data for the debate about ‘middle classwelfare’ and the evolution of Australia’s targeted welfaremodel.

KERRY WILSONCentre for Cultural Leadership, Liverpool John [email protected]

[R] Impact of the non-inclusiveorganisation on the delivery of sociallyinclusive public servicesFRIDAY 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM, CLB 4

This paper discusses tensions between the non-inclusiveleadership and management of public serviceorganisations and their attempts to contribute to socialinclusion policy agendas. Using the public library servicein England as a case study, the paper presents a recenttwo-year empirical study, ‘The Right ‘Man’ for the Job?The role of empathy in community librarianship’,conducted at the University of Sheffield, UK and fundedby the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)2006-08. The project investigated library staff attitudestowards social inclusion policy and disadvantaged groupsin society, exploring the relationship between their ownsocial and cultural identities, and their capacity to makean effective, empathic contribution to social inclusionobjectives. Selected key findings are discussed, includingthe impact of local government ‘tick box’ culture on policyeffectiveness and staff engagement, and issues relating tostaff awareness, development and subsequent role strainamongst a predominantly white female middle-agedhomogenised workforce. The paper demonstrates that afully inclusive and participative society cannot berealistically achieved by ambiguous policy directives andwithout the full endorsement of appropriately recruited,trained, and included public service sector staff.

MANDY WILSON, SHERRY SAGGERS,HELEN WILDY AND CARMEN ACOSTANational Drug Research Institute, Curtin University ofTechnology, University of Western Australia and [email protected]

"Shit that normal people do": using youngpeoples’ voices to create a qualitativescale for measuring young peoples’progress in treatmentWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 6

Adolescent substance use in Australia is on the rise.Evidence exists linking misuse of alcohol and other drugsto a range of health and social harms, and reduced lifechances for young people. Young people with substancemisuse problems are less likely to complete theirschooling, obtain secure employment, and contributepositively to their communities than other young people.

Studies indicate that people who undergo formaltreatment are more likely to reduce drug use and haveimproved physical and mental health than those who donot. However, insufficient evidence is available todetermine ‘what works’ for young people using inpatienttreatment services. There are few qualitative tools togauge outcomes - despite research and practitionerwisdom suggesting that issues related to client’sexperiences of treatment are not being captured byexisting quantitative measures.

Focusing on data collected from young people at tworesidential drug and alcohol services over the period of ayear, this paper describes the development of aqualitative composite framework for measuring theprogress of young people in treatment for alcohol andother drug (AOD) issues and considers the implicationsthese findings may have for future service and policypractice.

JUDITH YATES AND BRUCE BRADBURYUniversity of Sydney and Social Policy Research Centre,[email protected]

Home ownership as a (crumbling) fourthpillar of social insurance in AustraliaFRIDAY 2:00 PM TO 3:30 PM, CLB 1

This paper examines the potential that asset basedwelfare has to protect households from poverty after

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Abstracts by author

retirement by focusing specifically on the role of homeownership in maintaining average living standards andpreventing poverty among older Australians. Incomesand housing costs are compared between Australia andsix other nations (Canada, UK, USA, Italy, Finland andSweden) and the likely future trends in Australia examined.

Though asset-based welfare has the potential to ease thefiscal constraints faced by the state, it may well lead topoorer social insurance outcomes for households withlimited saving capacity over their lifetime. Access tohome ownership tends to be more limited than access tothe labour market and fluctuations in asset prices canlead to arbitrary shifting of wealth between generations.Social insurance programs can be more readily designedwith explicit distributional objectives.

By international standards, the older population inAustralia has a low average income and a high incomepoverty rate. However, unlike most other rich nations,more than 80 per cent of people over retirement age inAustralia own their own home. After taking account oftheir lower housing costs, their average living standardand after housing poverty rate is similar to that in theother countries. Nonetheless, the Australian modelmeans that those who miss out on home ownership aremultiply disadvantaged and projections suggest that thisgroup will grow in size in the coming decades.

PENG YUDepartment of Families, Housing, Community Servicesand Indigenous [email protected]

Social inclusion among young people witha disabilityWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 1

This paper examines social inclusion issues among youngpeople with physical or developmental/learning disabilityusing data collected from a cohort of 18-year-old youth. Itexplores differences in past experiences (schoolattainment and performance, and childhood happiness),present circumstances (participation ineducation/employment and social life), and futureprospects (expected education and confidence aboutfuture) by the disability status of the youth.

Results show that after controlling for individual, familyand contextual factors, young people with disabilityscored similarly to those without disability on mostindicators of present circumstances and future prospects.As such, youth growing up with disability are not

significantly disadvantaged when compared to their peerswithout disability, at least at the early transitional stage oflife. However, youth with disability were more likely tohave reported poor school attainment and performance, atroublesome and unhappy childhood, and poor currenthealth. Since school attainment, school performance andhealth are significant influencing factors for most of theselected indicators for present circumstances and futureprospects, they may serve as intermediate factors throughwhich childhood/adolescent disabilities affect thedevelopment and wellbeing of people over time. Theresearch also highlights the importance of parentalengagement for young people with disability.

ANNA ZHUSocial Policy Research Centre, [email protected]

Maternal employment and overweightchildren: an Australian studyWEDNESDAY 3:30 PM TO 5:30 PM, CLB 4

The alarming rise in the number of overweight children indeveloped nations during a trend of increasing rates offemale participation in the labour force has raisedconcerns about whether longer hours in employment (andaway from the child) contributes to poorer healthoutcomes for children. This paper explores thisrelationship for Australia using the first wave of data fromthe Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children (LSAC).However, this paper goes beyond using traditionalcontrols in regression analysis and shows that there arestatistically significant sources of unobservableheterogeneity which can underestimate the impact ofmaternal employment on child obesity, if unaccounted for.More specifically, it argues that the self-selection biaseffect is not uniform across different employment loads,that is, the unobservable factors that influence somemothers to choose full-time employment are different tothe unobservable factors which influence other mothers tochoose part-time work or to not join the labour force. Thispaper therefore, contributes to the literature by raisingawareness of this issue and adopting an econometricmethod which efficiently addresses it.

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Notes

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Notes

www.sprc.unsw.edu.au

Social Policy Research Centre

The University of New South Wales

Sydney NSW 2052

Telephone: (02) 9385 7800 Fax (02) 9385 7838

[email protected]

Documents

ASPC 2009 program and abstracts