In South Australia more than half of all children and young people (53.6%) live in disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances . Life for these children is tough. In 2024, I met with children in different primary schools, where I asked students to draw their local neighbourhood and key features in it. The differences between the most disadvantaged schools and other schools in the State were stark.
While most of the children I spoke with, when asked to draw their neighbourhood, drew their home, school and other points of interest like “dance”, “beach”, “playground”, or “Auntie’s house”, many students in disadvantaged areas found it hard to draw more than their home, school and the local shop.
It is clear children in our most disadvantaged areas need a different approach. They need a joined-up community response to support families and enable children to remain engaged in school and learning .
Research from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States shows that poverty and lack of social mobility is related to where you are born and where you grow up.
The Productivity Commission has found that “...People living in the most disadvantaged areas are more than twice as likely to experience persistent poverty than the rest of the population” .
Children in families who have experienced persistent poverty are more likely to be excluded from social interactions – they are less likely to be able to afford to get together with friends or relatives for a meal and to have access to the internet at home.
In turn, social exclusion increases susceptibility to mental illness and is associated with lower economic participation. This compounding effect means that children in families who have experienced persistent poverty are at an increased risk of entering and remaining in a state of persistent poverty.”
Children growing up in families living in persistent poverty tend to have much lower educational outcomes. An Australian study found that disadvantaged students are significantly behind their peers educationally by the start of Year 3 and remained so throughout school.
In addition, our most disadvantaged schools tend to have relatively low levels of school attendance. We know that attendance impacts school and life outcomes from an early age, and particularly so for those who live in a disadvantaged area.
Children in families who have experienced persistent poverty are most likely to benefit from extracurricular activities . Regular participation in sport and extracurricular activities is associated with positive health, social and academic outcomes. However, children from low-income families participate at much lower levels than their more ‘well-off’ peers . Addressing barriers to children’s participation is key to mitigating the consequences of child poverty.
Children and young people describe how living in poverty means their family becomes entirely focused on ‘the necessities’ of life and that ‘fun’ or ‘additional’ activities are ‘luxuries’ that are generally not available to them.
Piecemeal action is taking place to make small changes, but this cannot have a comprehensive and long-lasting effect. There are system gaps in our understandings of – and approaches that create barriers to taking action. If we don’t have data it’s hard to design services, if there’s no policy there’s unlikely to be services, and if children and young people don’t have a voice, we don’t know what’s needed in terms of supports. Without knowing more about these children and young people, effective change cannot be made.
An overarching approach would bring together and extend existing work, ensuring a holistic approach to children and young people from birth to 18 in South Australia. There is no multi-agency state-wide framework to cover vulnerable children and young people in South Australia although there are some strategies and responses to some of these groups.
South Australia needs an overarching vision for all children and young people in the state. From this vision we need a clear strategy, focused on a whole-of-government approach followed by measurable indicators and a mechanism to implement this.
Bold leadership is needed by the state government to make real change for children and young people in South Australia and coordinated efforts from multiple departments for those who are missing out the most, without it they often become invisible.
There needs to be high level government thinking and cross-department accountability and communication. Currently, no Minister has responsibility for all children in South Australia. This needs to change.
Helen Connolly was appointed to the role of South Australia's inaugural Commissioner for Children and Young People (CCYP) in April 2017 and concluded her tenure on Thursday, 17 April, 2025.
[1] Child Development Council, 2022. How are they faring? South Australia’s 2022 Report Card for children and young people. Accessed at https://childrensa.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/How-are-they-faring-SAs-2022-Report-Card-FINAL-2022-12-21.pdf.
[1] https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/fairly-equal-mobility/fairly-equal-mobility.pdf
[1] https://www.pc.gov.au/research/completed/fairly-equal-mobility/fairly-equal-mobility.pdf
[1] Alexander O’Donnell, 2021, ‘The kids who’d get the most out of extracurricular activities are missing out’, The Conversation. Available at https://theconversation.com/the-kids-whod-getthe-most-out-of-extracurricular-activities-are-missing-outheres-how-to-improve-access-169447.
[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022. Australia’s Children. Accessed at https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/physical-activity