Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T12:48:26.322Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of Unemployment on the Family

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Alison McClelland*
Affiliation:
School of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This paper reviews evidence about the incidence and impact of unemployment on the family. It finds that while the unemployment rate faced by husbands and wives is relatively low, many unemployed people fall into this category (36.2% were husbands and wives in 1998). Sole parents have a high unemployment rate. Hence, around one-third of unemployment is borne by parents with dependent children. Joblessness in families is also examined. The impacts of unemployment on families include poverty and hardship, strained relationships, poorer health (although the causal relationships are not always clear), and housing stress. Unemployment could also harm children’s development and employment futures. Some policy issues are explored including the need to provide protection for the living standards for families affected by unemployment and taking a number of actions to reduce unemployment. The dilemmas posed by mutual obligation and the trend to precarious low-paid work are also raised.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2000

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (1999) Labour Force and Other Characteristics of Families, Cat. No. 6224.0, ABS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Borland, J. and Kennedy, S. (1998) ‘Dimensions, Structure and History of Australian Unemployment’, in Debelle, G. and Borland, J. (Eds), Unemployment and the Australian Labour Market, Economic Group, Reserve Bank of Australia and Centre for Economic Policy Research ANU, pp. 6899.Google Scholar
Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) (1997) ‘Low wage work: changes in wages and working conditions’, Changing Pressures, Bulletin No. 3, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) (1999) ‘Housing insecurity: problems faced by low-income private tenants’, Changing Pressures, Bulletin No. 7, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Burke, T. (1998a) ‘Housing and poverty’, in Fincher, R. and Nieuwenhuysen, J. (Eds), Australian poverty: then and now, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, pp. 165184.Google Scholar
Burke, T. (1998b) ‘The poverty of homelessness’, in Fincher, R and Nieuwenhuysen, J (Eds), Australian poverty: then and now, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, pp. 293313.Google Scholar
Cass, B. (1988) Income Support for the unemployed in Australia: Towards A More Active System, Department of Social Security Issues Paper No. 4, AGPS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Catholic Social Welfare (1995) Housing in Australia: More than Bricks and Mortar, Vol. 4, No. 2, Catholic Social Welfare, Canberra.Google Scholar
Conger, R., Elder, G., Lorezz, F., Conger, K., Simons, R., Whitebeck, L., Huck, S., Melby, J. (1990) ‘Linking economic hardship to marital quality and instability’, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, pp. 643656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Department of Family and Community Services (2000a) ‘Labour and Demographic Trends’ in Technical and Other Appendices Interim Report Of The Reference Group On Welfare Reform, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.Google Scholar
Department of Family and Community Services (2000b) National Homelessness Strategy A Discussion Paper, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.Google Scholar
Dixon, D. (1992) Unemployment: The Economic and Social Costs, 2nd edition, Research for Action No.11, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Economic Planning Advisory Council (1992) Unemployment in Australia, Council Paper No. 51, AGPS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Efron, D., Sewell, J., Horn, M. (1996) Can we stay here? A study of the impact of family homelessness of children’s health and well-being, Hanover Welfare Services and the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Feather, N. (1997) ‘Economic Deprivation and the Psychological Impact of Unemployment’, Australian Psychologist, 32 (1), pp. 3745.Google Scholar
Gallie, D., Gershany, J. and Vogler, C. (1994) ‘Unemployment, the Household and Social Networks’, in Gallie, D., Marsh, C. and Vogler, C. (Eds), Social Change and the Experience of Unemployment, Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 231263.Google Scholar
Gilley, T. (1993) What chance a job? Employment of Parents with Young Children, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Gregory, R. (1999) ‘Children and the changing labour market: Joblessness in families with children’, Paper presented at the Conference, Labour market and family polices: implications for children, Canberra, 14–15 July.Google Scholar
Gregory, R. and Sheehan, P. (1998) ‘Poverty and the Collapse of Full Employment’, in Fincher, R. and Nieuwenhuysen, J. (Eds), Australian poverty: then and now, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, pp. 165184.Google Scholar
Harding, A. and Richardson, S. (1998) ‘Unemployment and Income Distribution’, in Debelle, G and Borland, J (Eds), Unemployment and the Australian Labour Market, Economic Group, Reserve Bank of Australia and Centre for Economic Policy Research ANU, pp. 1630.Google Scholar
Harding, A., Szukalska, A. (1999) Trends in child poverty 1982 to 1995–96, Discussion paper No. 42, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, University of Canberra, Canberra.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horsley, A., Murphy, E., Wilson, G. (1995) Children in Homeless Families, Bethany Support Inc., Geelong.Google Scholar
Jackson, S., Crooks, M. (1993) Existing not living, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google ScholarPubMed
Jensen, B., Seltzer, A. (2000) ‘Neighborhood and Family Effects in Educational Progress’, The Australian Economic Review, Vol. 33, No. 1.Google Scholar
Liem, R., Liem, J. (1988) ‘Psychological effects of unemployment on workers and their families’, Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 87106.Google Scholar
Macdonald, F. (2000) Uncertain work, unsettled lives: the work opportunities and experiences of some families during the 1990’s A report for the longitudinal Life Chances study, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Mathers, C., Schofield, D. (1998) ‘The health consequences of unemployment: the evidence’, Medical Journal of Australia, 168, pp. 178182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McClelland, A. (2000) ‘No child’ Child poverty in Australia, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
McClelland, A., Macdonald, F., MacDonald, H. (1998) ‘Young people and labour market disadvantage: the situation of young people not in education or full-time work’, in Australia’s youth: reality and risk, Dusseldorp Skills Forum, Sydney, pp. 103126.Google Scholar
McClelland, A, Jackson, S. (1994) ‘Families and the Future of Work’, Paper for the symposium, Families and employment: the future of work and welfare, at the International Year of the Family Conference, Australian Families: The Next 10 Year. Adelaide.Google Scholar
McClelland, A. (1993) ‘Long-term unemployment: Costs and Responses’ Policy Forum Australian Economic Review, 102, pp. 2630.Google Scholar
Miller, P. (1997) ‘The Burden of Unemployment on Family Units’, Australian Economic Review, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 1630.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, D. (1999) ‘Labour Market and Low Wages: Taking a lifetime perspective’, in Richardson, S. (Ed), Reshaping the Labour Market Regulation, Efficiency and Equality in Australia, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.Google Scholar
National Health Strategy (1992) Enough to make you sick: How income and environment affect health, Research Paper No. 1. National Health Strategy, Canberra.Google Scholar
Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) (1997) ‘Labour market polices new challenges. Policies for low-paid workers and unskilled job seekers’, Paper presented at the Meeting of the Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee at Ministerial Level, Chateau de la Muette, OECD, Paris, 14–15 October.Google Scholar
Pech, J., McCoull, F. (1998) ‘Transgenerational poverty and income support dependence in Australia: work in progress’, Social Security Journal, 1998/2.Google Scholar
Reference Group on Welfare Reform (2000) Participation Support for a More Equitable Society Final Report of the Reference Group on Welfare Reform, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.Google Scholar
Taylor, J., Macdonald, F. (1998) Life at Six: life chances and beginning school, Brotherhood of St.Laurence, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Victorian Social Justice Consultative Council (1992) Social Justice: Economic restructuring and job loss, Social Justice Consultative Council, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Vinokur, A., Price, R., Caplan, R. (1996) ‘Hard Times and Hurtful Partners: How Financial Strain Affects Depression and Relationship Satisfaction of Unemployed Persons and their Spouse’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 71, No. 1, pp. 166179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, M. (1991) Against Unemployment, Policy Studies Institute, Lonon.Google Scholar
Whiteford, P. (2000) The Australian system of social protection - an overview, Policy Research Paper No. 1, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.Google Scholar
Wilson, K., Pech, J., Bates, K. (2000) Parents, the labour force and social security, Policy Research Paper No. 2, Department of Family and Community Services, Canberra.Google Scholar
Winters, I. (2000) Towards a theoretical understanding of family life and social capital, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Working Paper No. 21.Google Scholar
Yates, J. (1999) ‘Housing markets and social exclusion’, paper presented at the National Housing Conference, Reform and renewal in social housing, Sydney, 29–30 November.Google Scholar