A Socio-Economic Profile of Families in the First Wave of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children

Abstract

‘Footprints in time’, the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC), has been developed to provide insights into how Indigenous children's early years affect their development. Socio-economic factors are at the core of many analyses of child development and well-being and this article provides a socio-economic profile of Indigenous families in the first wave of the LSIC. Utilising 12 indicators that are organised into three groups—primary carer, family income and financial stress—the article provides an extensive overview of the full range of socio-economic data available in the LSIC. The article examines whether, when taken together, the different indicators tell a consistent story. It finds that, broadly, they do. The article raises some issues about the reporting of certain government payments and highlights the importance of family size when looking at family income. The article concludes by pointing to the potential for future research that these data present.