2. Age: 18 Socio-economic Status (SES): low SES - Single parent family - Relatively low income - Mother is unemployed - Works effectively full time to support mother - Lives in poor/low income neighbourhood

3. Religion: Christianity Family Pattern: - Single parent family - Lives with his mum - Father divorced mother when he was 14

4. MACROSYSTEM EXOSYSTEM MESOSYSTEM MICROSYSTEM INDIVIDUAL

5.  MICROSYSTEM: an immediate setting containing that person where interactions occur between the developing person and the environment. Examples: - Family - Friends - School - Work

6.  MESOSYSTEM: A system of Microsystems through which different settings are linked. Examples: - Parents: Friends School Work - Work: School Family Friends - Friends: School Work Family

7.  EXOSYSTEM: More distal from the developing person. Here the individual does not directly participate in interactions, although decisions made at this level greatly affect a person. Examples: - Parent’s workplaces: Mums unemployment - Neighbourhood: due to their low SES, they live in a poor area - Extended Family: Fathers new family

8.  MACROSYSTEM: a broad societal blueprint containing the core structures that compose a particular culture. Examples: - Government policies: child allowances and Centrelink payments - Cultural values: society looks down on single unemployed families - Economy: recession means financial difficulties

10. MICROSYSTEM: INDIVIDUAL: MATTHEW BLAKE Family Friends School Work PART 1

11. MESOSYSTEM: MICROSYSTEM: INDIVIDUAL: Matthew Blake PART 2 Family Friends Work School

12. EXOSYSTEM MESOSYSTEM MICROSYSTEM INDIVIDUAL: MATTHEW BLAKE PART 3 Father’s new family and life Mothers employment problems Bad Neighbourhood Family Friends School Work

13. MACROSYSTEM EXOSYSTEM MESOSYSTEM MICROSYSTEM INDIVIDUAL: MATTHEW BLAKE PART 4 SchoolFriends WorkFamily Fathers new family and life Bad Neighbourhood Mothers employment problems Governments child allowances Economic Recession Governments child allowances

15. Matthews CharacteristicCharacteristic or trait of Australian Population Matthew is in a single parent family, in which the father has left the mother. The ABS Family Characteristics Survey of 1997 found that there were 978,000 children living with only one natural parent; 88% lived with their mother. In 2004–2006, there were on average 486,000 one-parent families with children under 15 years. They accounted for 22% of all families with children of this age. In this period, on average one in five children aged under 15 years (20%) were in one- parent families (ABS, 2008).

16. Matthew’s CharacteristicsCharacteristic or trait of Australian Population Matthew is in a single parent family in which his father has divorced his mother. This had an enormous effect on Matthew’s life and is what ultimately led to him working full time, with a poor education and a barley existent social life. “In 2001, 81% of people who were married felt pleased or mostly satisfied with their lives compared with 63% of people who were separated or divorced. Across all living arrangements, lone parents and the adult children living with them were the people least likely to feel pleased or mostly satisfied with life (60% and 64% respectively)” (ABS 2006).

17. Matthew’s CharacteristicsCharacteristic or trait of Australian Population As Matthew’s mother has been unable to obtain paid employment, she has been receiving weekly payments from centerlink. Matthew has also been receiving child benefit payments. “In 2003–04, government pensions and allowances were the principal source of income for 61% of one-parent families. The main income support payment for single parents is Parenting Payment (Single). Currently, there are 450,000 single parents on Parenting Payment across Australia of whom 240,000 have school age children only (their youngest child is over 5 years). Of these, 110,000 (around 45%) have jobs and 130,000 (around 55%) are jobless” (ABS 2008).

18. Matthew’s CharacteristicsCharacteristic or trait of Australian Population Matthew’s single mother has struggled to find work. She is currently living off centerlink payments and the money which her son earns. Between 1997 and 2006 the proportion of lone parents who were in the labour force (i.e. either employed or looking for work) increased from 52% to 62%. The increase in labour force participation of mothers largely reflected an increase in the proportion of mothers in part-time work. In 2006, 32% of lone mothers worked part-time. The proportion of lone mothers employed full- time was 19% in 2006.The most significant influences in employment impacting on children have been increases in women working (ABS, 2008).

19. Matthew’s CharacteristicsCharacteristic or trait of Australian Population Matthew works full time in order to support his mother. While doing this he is also trying to complete year 12, keep strong ties between family members and a social life. In 2003, two-fifths 40% of casual employees were young people aged 15-24 years (ABS, 2008).

20.  Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological models show how various factors in a child’s environment affects how that child grows and develops. By Jessica Brown

21.  Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). Australian Statistics. Australian Government Publishing Service.  Healy, Justin. (2006). Issues in Society –Changing Families – Volume 238. The Spinney Press.  Healy, Justin. (2008). Issues in Society –Juvenile Crime – Volume 273. The Spinney Press.  Healy, Justin. (2002). Issues in Society – Parenting – Volume 172. The Spinney Press.  Healy, Justin. (2008). Issues in Society –Separation and Divorce – Volume 28. The Spinney Press.  Healy, Justin. (2004). Issues in Society –Sole Parenting Families – Volume 211. The Spinney Press.  Healy, Justin. (2005). Issues in Society –Teenage Sexuality – Volume 221. The Spinney Press.  Willson, Andrea. (1999). What’s at Issue? Families. Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd.