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Indigenous families and children: coordination and provision of services
Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004–2009

Appendix D: Stronger Families in Australia tables

Table D1: Demographic characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous families in SFIA sites
Characteristics by wave Balanced panel (W1, W3) Cross-sectional (W1, W3)
Total Indigenous Non-Indigenous Statistical
significance
(p-value) (a) 		Total Indigenous Non-Indigenous Statistical
significance
(p-value) (a)
n n % n % n n % n %
Fathers employment                          
Wave 1 Employed 1,824 134 35.1 1,690 72.2 0.000*** 2,202 182 31.9 2,020 68.6 0.000
  Unemployed - - 17.2 - 8.0 0.001** - - 17 - 8.8 0.001
  No father - - 47.8 - 19.7 0.000*** - - 51 - 22.6 0.000
Wave 3 Employed 1,823 134 41.0 1,689 72.6 0.000*** 1,834 139 41.7 1,695 72.6 0.000
  Unemployed - - 14.9 - 7.4 0.004** - - 15.1 - 7.4 0.000
  No father - - 44.0 - 20.0 0.000*** - - 43.2 - 20 0.000
Parent’s (either mother or father) place of birth                          
Wave 1 Overseas 1,824 134 7.5 1,690 32.9 0.000*** 2,202 182 7.7 2,020 35.3 0.000
  Australia - - 92.5 - 67.1 - - - 92.3 - 64.7 0.000
Wave 3 Overseas 1,824 134 6.0 1,690 32.8 0.000*** 1,831 136 6.6 1,695 32.9 0.000
  Australia - - 94.0 - 67.2 - - - 93.4 - 67.1 0.000
Mother’s education
Wave 1 Year 10 or less 316 45 33.6 271 16 0.000*** 433 65 35.7 368 18.2 0.000
  Above Year 10 1,508 89 66.4 1,419 84 - 280 117 64.3 1,652 81.8 -
Wave 3 Year 10 or less 278 37 27.6 14.3 14.3 0.000*** 1,769 38 27.3 242 14.3 0.000
  Above Year 10 1,546 97 72.4 1,449 85.7 - 1,555 101 72.7 1,454 85.7 -
Mother’s employment                          
Wave 1 Employed 1,812 132 31.1 1,680 41.9 0.017 2,183 178 28.7 2,005 40.6 0.002**
  Unemployed - - 11.4 - 4.9 0.004** - - 12.4 - 5 0.000***
  Out of labour force - - 57.6 - 53.2 0.365 - - 59.0 - 54.4 0.240
Wave 3 Employed 1,804 130 38.5 1,674 49.9 0.014* 1,815 135 39.3 1,680 49.9 0.020**
  Unemployed - - 6.2 - 4.8 0.525 - - 6.7 - 4.8 0.001**
  Out of labour force - - 55.4 - 45.3 0.028 - - 54.1 - 45.2 0.001**
Child’s gender                          
Wave 1 Male 1,824 134 50 1,690 49.9 1.000 2,202 182 51.1 2,020 50.3 0.887
  Female - - 50 - 50.1 - - - 48.9 - 49.7 -
Wave 3 Male 1,824 134 50 1,690 49.9 1.000 1,835 139 49.6 1,696 50.1 0.930
  Female - - 50 - 50.1 - - - 50.4 - 49.9 -
Child’s age in months       (mean)   (mean)       (mean)   (mean)  
Mean age Wave 1 Employed 1,824 134 33.5 1,690 33.3 0.417 2,202 182 33.5 2,020 33.3 0.317
Mean age Wave 3 Unemployed 1,824 134 54.1 1,690 53.6 0.076* 1,835 139 54.1 1,696 53.6 0.096*
Parental income ($/week)                          
Wave 1 $500 or less 1,824 134 32.8 1,690 14.9 0.000*** 2,182 181 34.8 2,00 17.4 0.000***
  Over $500 - - 67.2 - 85.1 - - - 65.2 - 82.6 -
Wave 3 $500 or less 1,824 134 25.4 1,690 12.7 0.000*** 1,815 138 26.1 1,677 12.9 0.000***
  Over $500 - - 74.6 - 87.3 - - - 73.9 - 87.1 -
Number times moved in child’s life       (mean)   (mean)       (mean)   (mean)  
Wave 1   1,824 134 1.7 1,690 0.9 0.000*** 2,202 182 1.7 2,020 0.9 0.000***
Wave 3   1,824 134 2.0 1,690 1.3 0.005** 2,202 182 2.0 2,020 1.3 0.005**
(a) Chi-square test, with the exception of mean age of children, which uses an independent t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates no cases.
Table D2: Parental general health (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 3.44 3.51 0.98(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 3.74 3.73 0.76(a)
Significance - 0.00***(b) 0.009**(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D3: Parental mental health (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 4.16 4.28 0***(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 4.34 4.41 0***(a)
Significance - 0.001**(b) 0.013**(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D4: Self-reported parenting skills by Indigenous status (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 3.84 3.74 0.017**(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 3.90 3.87 0.057*(a)
Significance - 0.27(b) 0.012**(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D5: Hostile parenting by Indigenous status (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 3.41 3.47 0.906(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 3.34 3.33 0.778(a)
Significance - 0.58(b) 0.25(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D6: Home learning environment (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 2.83 2.64 0***(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 3.05 2.87 0***(a)
Significance - 0***(b) 0***(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D7: Support in child rearing (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 133 2.72 2.60 0***(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,682 2.84 2.65 0***(a)
Significance - 0.09(b) 0.47(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D8: Neighbourhood social cohesion index by Indigenous status (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 125 3.12 3.15 0***(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,568 3.35 3.42 0***(a)
Significance - 0***(b) 0***(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D9: Neighbourhood as a place to bring up children (mean)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 3.67 3.75 0.003**(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,686 3.92 3.99 0.004**(a)
Significance - 0.005**(b) 0.007**(b) -
(a) Paired sample t-test.
(b) Independent sample t-test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.
Table D10: No support available when needed (per cent)
  n Wave 1 Wave 3 Significance
Indigenous 134 15.67 7.46 0.027**(a)
Non-Indigenous 1,690 9.59 8.05 0.073*(a)
Significance - 0.035**(b) 1.00(b) -
(a) McNemar test.
(b) Chi-Square test.
Notes: ***Results significant at p<0.001; **results significant at p<0.05; *results significant at p<0.1; – indicates not applicable.

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