An analysis of children’s paid and unpaid work in New South Wales
Toby Fattore
NSW Commission for Children and Young People
Contact Email:   Toby.Fattorekids.nsw.gov.au

This presentation will overview the findings of a study on children’s work involving approximately 11 000 children aged 12 to 16 years across New South Wales.

The study aimed to redress the deficit of knowledge about children’s work in New South Wales. This lack of knowledge has reinforced certain, sometimes contradictory, presumptions about children’s work, including that only a small number of children work, that work has an ‘invigorating and disciplining effect’ on children, or that working has negative outcomes for children. These presumptions have influenced the policy terrain and obfuscated public debate on this issue.

This study attempts to move debate from these prevailing presumptions. The major findings will be overviewed, including the extent of children’s work, the social distribution of work among children, the nature and conditions of the work that children perform, the degree to which children are satisfied with their work, the extent and severity of work-related injuries, the prevalence of work-related harassment and the impact of work on children’s quality of life.

Paper Download Information (if available):

Paper139.ppt

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