Poverty affects one in six Australian children. Our research shows that the first five years of a child’s life are critical in their cognitive, social and emotional development, and children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience a cycle of disadvantage into adulthood.
The latest Research Insights
Which families are feeling the pinch of the pandemic the most?
Over two thirds of Australian families with young children have persistently experienced some form of financial stress during the pandemic. This unprecedented disruption to family income is limiting children’s opportunities during a crucial time in their health and development. This Research Insight examines how hard the pandemic has hit those of us who were already struggling.
How disadvantage is transmitted from parents to children
This research measures how children who grow up with parents who are reliant on income support, may also depend on income support later in life. Understanding this intergenerational cycle in disadvantage and how different types of disadvantage persevere across generations is essential for designing better policies to improve equality of opportunity in Australia.
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Publications
Our projects
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Breaking Down Barriers
The Breaking Down Barriers report series provides in depth analyses of questions that will help us to better understand the challenges faced by individuals, families, communities, and governments that affect the existence and persistence of deep and entrenched poverty and disadvantage in Australia.
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Journeys Home
Journeys Home: A Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability was a national survey of Australians who were either homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless.
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Life Course Centre
Melbourne Institute hosts the Melbourne node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Life Course Centre), a national research centre that aims to identify the drivers of deep and persistent disadvantage.
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Changing children's lives: the economic impact of early years education
With the first years of a child's life proven to have a life-long impact on their intellectual and emotional development, a pair of University of Melbourne economists are analysing the economic benefit of an innovative early years education program in Melbourne's north.