The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) is pleased to release today a new report revealing the interrelated nature of poverty and disadvantage, highlighting key areas in Queensland which need to be addressed with better targeted programs, policies and investment.

QCOSS’ Queensland’s wellbeing 2016 report pulls together a broad range of data that helps paint a clearer picture of where government and community could concentrate their energies and investment in order to help break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.

We all know that poor outcomes in one area of a person’s life can put them on a path to poor social and economic outcomes, impacting not only the individual, but their family, their community and of most concern generations to come.

This report includes data regarding individuals and families and is based on seven key domains: 
•    safe
•    healthy
•    adequate standard of living
•    strong personal relationships
•    community connections
•    achieving in life
•    secure for the future.

QCOSS believes that this report will be of great value to people working in the social services sector, as well as researchers and policy makers, to clearly see the interconnectedness of issues such as violence in the home against women, children and older people; poor education and health outcomes for people in disadvantaged, rural and remote areas; youth unemployment; electricity disconnections; and low kindergarten attendance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, to name just a few.

The QCOSS Queensland’s wellbeing 2016 report is designed to view, measure and help track the wellbeing of all Queenslanders, while also helping us to pinpoint areas of poverty and disadvantage, and to give us the evidence base we need to change our responses to change people’s lives for the better.

You can read the media release here.

You can read the report here.