These are unprecedented times for families. COVID-19 represents a severe life course shock with long-term impacts in areas such as employment, household finances, education, welfare, poverty, well-being and mental health. When there is a large-scale shock like this, the risk is that social, economic and health disadvantage can become further entrenched for those families already struggling, and those facing new unexpected pressures.

The Life Course Centre is well placed to identify the risks of deep and persistent disadvantage for Australian children and families, and to develop innovative solutions to address its intergenerational impact. The Centre’s life course approach observes people’s life trajectories, not just a single point in time, and examines the influence of key life events and transitions such as childhood, adolescence and parenthood. This framework brings together a diversity of researchers, with a shared collaborative focus on tackling disadvantage and better equipping children and families to overcome it.

In this episode of ‘Families Under Pressure’, Life Course Centre Chief Investigator Professor Matt Sanders speaks with Centre Director Professor Janeen Baxter, a leading sociologist at the forefront of research on family dynamics. They discuss the unique pressures facing families today, the important role of family structures, parenting, relationships and other supports, and what can be done to best support those experiencing, or at high risk of, the negative effects of disadvantage in these uncertain times.

For more information, visit https://www.lifecoursecentre.org.au/