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Informal employment remains ubiquitous in developing-country labour markets. While informality has been associated with poor outcomes—such as low wages and precarious working conditions—it has been argued that some informal jobs could be beneficial for workers due to non-pecuniary characteristics—such as autonomy and flexibility. We revisit this long-running theoretical debate by analysing job satisfaction, a broad measure of worker welfare. Using two waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey, we estimate fixed effects regressions to show that informal workers are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs than formal workers. This finding is robust to different estimation strategies, including a matched sample of sector movers and stayers. However, the likelihood of job satisfaction varies considerably among informal workers, with informal self-employed workers being more likely to be satisfied with their jobs than informal salaried workers. Moreover, this satisfaction differential only applies to informal salaried workers in informal enterprises, suggesting a need to better understand the employment conditions facing this group of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of a teacher professional learning intervention, underpinned by a student-centred model of feedback, on student perceptions of feedback helpfulness. The study was conducted in the context of primary education English writing in Queensland, Australia. No overall differences in feedback perceptions of students in 13 intervention and 9 comparison schools were identified following the intervention. However, more detailed analyses revealed significantly greater increases in perceived helpfulness among intervention group students for six feedback strategies. This suggests the intervention changed teachers' feedback practices, enhancing student perceptions of feedback helpfulness. Student focus group data provided valuable qualitative insights into student feedback perceptions. Overall findings highlight the interrelatedness between feedback strategies across the feedback cycle for enhancing student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the efficacy of a supportive housing program aiming to provide mothers in violent relationships with the practical resources to minimize child protection intervention. Drawing on qualitative interviews with program mothers, child safety officers, and program practitioners, we explore the extent to which the program enabled mothers and children to live free from fathers' violence and disengage from the child protection system. We find that, although valuable, the program did not fully mitigate the risks posed by violent fathers. We therefore argue that responsibility must be shifted onto violent fathers to change their behavior and build their parenting capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assertive outreach is becoming an increasingly salient feature of policy responses to homelessness—and particularly rough sleeping—with the aim of supporting people to access secure housing. Despite its demonstrated successes, existing research points to structural challenges practitioners face in navigating complex and fragmented service systems to provide people sleeping rough with a continuum of care. This study examines an Australian organisation's efforts to collaboratively and systematically overcome these challenges by bringing together government, community and service practitioners from multiple sectors in their delivery of an assertive outreach programme. Using an ethnographic research design, this article draws on observations of outreach practices and service provider administrative quantitative data, as well as qualitative interviews and focus groups conducted with assertive outreach service providers. Our findings demonstrate that through flexible and collaborative social work practices, practitioners were able to see people sleeping rough, share information across services and support people into a range of housing, health and other forms of services. Critically, however, structural barriers such as a lack of affordable and social housing prevented assertive outreach from ending people's homelessness. We foreground the critical implications of these findings for social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charities play an increasingly important role in helping people experiencing poverty. However, institutionalized charity shifts the burden of poverty reduction away from the state and exposes recipients to stress and stigma. In this paper, we examine whether the need for institutionalized charity can be offset through enhanced state support. As in other countries, the Australian government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by substantially increasing the level of income support to citizens through several temporary payments. We draw on this natural experiment and time-series data from the two largest charity organizations in Queensland, Australia to examine how these payments altered the demand for institutionalized charity. We model these data using difference-in-difference regression models to approximate causal effects. By exploiting the timing and varying amounts of the payments, our analyses yield evidence that more generous income support reduces reliance on charity. Halving the demand for charity requires raising pre-pandemic income-support by AUD$42/day, with supplements of approximately AUD$18/day yielding the greatest return on investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores a social marketing campaign aimed to promote compassionate responses to disclosures of sexual violence from peers and raise awareness of university-based formal support services. Findings from a survey (n = 189) and follow-up focus groups (n = 11) conducted with university students in Australia indicated that exposure to the campaign may support students' self-perceived confidence in responding compassionately to disclosures of sexual violence and raise awareness of university-based formal support services. These findings suggest social marketing may be a useful tool to form part of universities' sexual violence response and prevention strategies. These findings may help inform future university campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly unaffordable housing means that family homelessness represents an urgent issue for social policy and practice. Targeting families at risk of homelessness, Supportive Housing for Families (SHF) subsidizes leases and offers support aimed at sustaining tenancies and family unity. We explore how short-term funding cycles in an advanced welfare system impacts experiences with service delivery. Building on housing scholarship employing an ontological security lens, we interrogate the temporal dimensions of SHF, and how these are intertwined with understandings of home in spatial terms. The analyses are based on research conducted to examine a 12-month SHF pilot in Southeast Queensland, Australia. We analyse qualitative interviews conducted with families (n=17), statutory child protection officers (n=7), and SHF support workers (n=10) involved in this pilot. Findings indicate that fixed-term funding impacts every aspect of service delivery, resulting in the collective production of ontological insecurity, as families continue to long for a forever home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research demonstrates that the mainstream media produces and reproduces highly stigmatising representations of social housing. Such representations are largely underpinned by a moral underclass discourse, which blames individuals' social exclusion on their own moral deficiencies. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, social, economic, and political contexts have changed significantly, and problems that were once perceived to be the result of individuals' deficits are increasingly viewed as being beyond their control. It is therefore timely to revisit representations of social housing in the mainstream media, to examine whether such representations have also changed in line with shifting social and economic contexts. To this end, this article examines mainstream media representations of social housing in the Australian state of Queensland before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight important changes in the discourses invoked in the media articles, underpinned by a shift in who is perceived as being socially excluded and why. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers play a critical role in responding to the needs of individuals impacted by domestic and family violence (DFV). Social work literature has long been devoted to understanding the functioning, accessibility and effectiveness of specialist DFV services. In contrast, much less is known about how non-specialist services can, and do, support victims of DFV. This study addresses this important gap by empirically examining the links between DFV and a non-specialist service designed to assist people experiencing financial hardship. To accomplish this, we draw on an expansive administrative database of assistance records (n  = 305,176) from the St Vincent de Paul Society, one of the largest non-specialist support providers in Australia. Descriptive analyses of DFV-related records (n  = 4,374) yield novel insights into the socio-demographic profile of clients seeking assistance due to DFV, the types of assistance they required and how non-specialist providers respond to DFV-related requests for assistance. Our results demonstrate that non-specialist services play a critical yet under-recognised role in responding to people impacted by DFV. This has significant social work practice implications, highlighting the importance of specialist DFV services working in tandem with non-specialist services to deliver the best outcomes for victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-income mothers face disproportionately high risks of engaging with statutory child protection systems. Whilst this is often perceived as a result of poor or irresponsible parenting practices, an increasing body of scholarship foregrounds the role of structural issues—such as poverty and homelessness—that constrain mothers' agency and impact their ability to care for their children. In this article, we examine Australia's first permanent Supportive Housing for Families (SHF) programme, which offers low-income mothers practical resources to minimise the risk of statutory child protection intervention. Our research aims to understand low-income mothers' willingness and ability to care for their children, and how mothers engaged with and made meaning of their experiences residing in SHF. Using a qualitative research design, we analyse interview data with programme mothers (n  = 17), programme support workers (n  = 10) and statutory child protection officers (n  = 7). We find that the resources provided through the programme enabled mothers to care for their children in ways that aligned with their parenting beliefs and aspirations. We conclude that SHF programmes may be an effective means through which low-income mothers can overcome the structural barriers that keep them engaged with statutory child protection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite historical increases in the number of individuals engaging in same-sex relations and entering same-sex unions, the causes of sexual orientation remain an open question. Two biological processes that have received some degree of empirical validation are the fraternal birth-order effect (FBOE) and the female-fecundity effect (FFE). Respectively, these processes posit that having a greater number of older brothers and being part of larger sibships independently increase the odds of male homosexuality. Nevertheless, previous studies have relied on suboptimal data and methods, including underpowered and selected samples, and models that fail to fully disentangle the two processes. In addition, they have rarely analyzed samples of women. We address these limitations using high-quality, population-level linked register data from the Netherlands (n = 9,073,496). Applying a novel multivariable approach, we jointly examine the FBOE and FFE by comparing the sibship characteristics of men (n = 26,542) and women (n = 33,534) who entered a same-sex union against those who did not (n = 4,607,785 men and 4,405,635 women). Our analyses yield robust evidence of an FBOE on both male and female homosexuality, but no support for the FFE. Additionally, we find that individuals' birth order affects the probability of entering a same-sex union, regardless of the sex of older siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article the authors respond to commentaries on their article published within the issue about the role of fraternal birth order effect (FBOE) in male and female same-sex marriage in the Dutch population. Topics include the possible influence of endogenous stopping rules in the FBOE and female fecundity effect (FFE) analysis, the value of population representativeness and how future studies could leverage administrative and other data sources.

Objectives: Major postintensive care sequelae affect up to one in three adult survivors of critical illness. Large cohorts on educational outcomes after pediatric intensive care are lacking. We assessed primary school educational outcomes in a statewide cohort of children who survived PICU during childhood.Design: Multicenter population-based study on children less than 5 years admitted to PICU. Using the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy database, the primary outcome was educational achievement below the National Minimum Standard (NMS) in year 3 of primary school. Cases were compared with controls matched for calendar year, grade, birth cohort, sex, socioeconomic status, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, and school. Multivariable logistic regression models to predict educational outcomes were derived.Setting: Tertiary PICUs and mixed ICUs in Queensland, Australia.Patients: Children less than 5 years admitted to PICU between 1998 and 2016.Interventions: Not applicable.Measurements and Main Results: Year 3 primary school data were available for 5,017 PICU survivors (median age, 8.0 mo at first PICU admission; interquartile range, 1.9-25.2). PICU survivors scored significantly lower than controls across each domain (p < 0.001); 14.03% of PICU survivors did not meet the NMS compared with 8.96% of matched controls (p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, socioeconomic status (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.67-2.74), weight (0.94; 0.90-0.97), logit of Pediatric Index of Mortality-2 score (1.11; 1.03-1.19), presence of a syndrome (11.58; 8.87-15.11), prematurity (1.54; 1.09-2.19), chronic neurologic conditions (4.38; 3.27-5.87), chronic respiratory conditions (1.65; 1.24-2.19), and continuous renal replacement therapy (4.20; 1.40-12.55) were independently associated with a higher risk of not meeting the NMS.Conclusions: In this population-based study of childhood PICU survivors, 14.03% did not meet NMSs in the standardized primary school assessment. Socioeconomic status, underlying diseases, and severity on presentation allow risk-stratification to identify children most likely to benefit from individual follow-up and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To provide empirical evidence of the positive effects of exposure to inclusive language on trans employees' well-being. Methods. We leveraged unique data from a large Australian national survey of workplace diversity and inclusion (2020 Australian Workplace Equality Index Employee Survey), focusing on a subset of trans respondents (n = 453). We derived self-reported and aggregate-level measures of exposure to trans-inclusive language and created a multidimensional index of employee well-being. We examined their relationships using fully adjusted random-intercept multilevel regression models. Results. We found strong, positive, and statistically significant associations between different indicators of exposure to inclusive language at work and trans employees' well-being. These relationships were large in magnitude and emerged in the presence of an encompassing set of sociodemographic and workplace controls, including other markers of workplace diversity and inclusion (e.g., victimization experiences and identity disclosure). Conclusions. Our results provide robust evidence indicating that efforts to foster inclusive language at work can yield substantial, positive effects on trans people's feelings of belonging and inclusion, thereby contributing to their overall socioeconomic integration. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(3):482–490. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306602) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: Dans la plupart des études, les travailleurs de l'économie informelle sont présentés comme un tout homogène. Les auteurs considèrent pourtant qu'il peut y avoir parmi eux des gagnants et des perdants. En utilisant des régressions quantiles sur distribution non conditionnelle et des données issues d'une enquête auprès des ménages indonésiens (IFLS), ils estiment l'écart de rémunération entre travailleurs formels et travailleurs informels à différents points de la répartition des gains. Ils montrent que la pénalité de revenu aux dépens des travailleurs informels, manifeste et sensible pour certains d'entre eux, n'est pas systématique, confirmant ainsi la thèse de Fields (1990 et 2005) sur l'emploi informel hétérogène. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the majority of studies that have treated informal workers as a single homogeneous group, this article accounts for the possibility of "winners" and "losers" among informal workers. Applying unconditional quantile regressions to data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey, the authors are able to estimate the formal–informal wage gaps for different segments of the earnings distribution. Although the evidence confirms the existence of a substantial earnings penalty for many informal workers, there is also a group who earn roughly similar incomes to formal workers. The findings are consistent with Fields's (1990 and 2005) model of heterogeneous informal employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractInsecure housing—particularly for low-income groups—constitutes a critical and enduring social problem. While Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) initiatives show promise as a solution to mitigate this issue, research assessing their impact remains limited. This paper makes three contributions to the empirical PSH literature: it develops a novel framework to measure the success of PSH tenancy outcomes; it expands the evidence-base to consider the role of tenancy issues and provider-initiated tenancy-sustainment supports; and it provides new evidence on a single-site PSH initiative in Queensland (Australia)—Brisbane Common Ground (BCG). We use 10 years’ worth of administrative data on all 417 tenancies—both concluded and ongoing—taking place since the onset of BCG in July 2012 and up to November 2022. Our main analyses combine descriptive statistics, event-history analyses, and logistic regression models. Results reveal significant heterogeneity in the probability of experiencing positive PSH tenancies across socio-demographic groups, the intervening role of tenancy issues, and the partially protective role of provider tenancy-sustainment initiatives. The results, however, vary depending on the lens through which PSH tenancy outcomes are viewed. These findings stress the need for targeted PSH strategies that better cater for the complex needs of specific subgroups of tenants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of a teacher and school leader professional learning intervention on student writing achievement in Australian state primary schools. The six-month intervention was underpinned by a new student-centred feedback model. The study analysed student writing assessment data from 1060 Year 4 students across 13 intervention and 9 comparison schools. Results from multilevel analyses showed substantially larger achievement gains in the intervention group compared to the comparison group across two learning periods. Increased perceived helpfulness of several feedback strategies was associated with student achievement gains in the intervention group, showing the intervention's positive impact on feedback effectiveness. • Examined a teacher professional learning intervention in student-centred feedback. • Used a quasi-experimental design to examine feedback effects on student writing. • Findings show larger achievement gains for intervention than comparison group. • Several student-centred feedback practices were associated with achievement gains. • Findings inform recommendations for teacher professional learning in feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]