Welfare System and Services in Australia

This study material discusses Australia's welfare system and social services, including income support payments and welfare support services. It provides a case study of an elderly man named Fred and how he can avail support services. The material also explains how to plan a welfare system framework and avail support services for financial wellbeing and capability, aged care, and disability services. The study material concludes by discussing the importance of linking service-related information to identify and cater to services for those who need them.

WELFARE SYSTEM AND SERVICES IN
AUSTRALIA
BACHELOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
STUDENT NAME
STUDENT ID
SUBJECT NAME
SUBJECT ID: SAP102
DATE DUE
PROFESSOR NAME
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Table of Contents
Case Study 1....................................................................................................................................3
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................3
2.0 PLANNING A WELFARE SYSTEM FRAMEWORK...........................................................3
3.0 CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................6
4.0 REFERENCE LISTS.................................................................................................................7
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Case Study 1
Fred is a 70 year old man who has worked hard all his life. He is a proud man who has been
living off his savings from his previous employment before retiring and currently lives in a
private rental property in Sydney. He was never married and has no kids. His rent has been
increasing every year and his savings is running out making Fred very concerned about his
future. He also finds it difficult to go out of the house due to feeling unstable on his feet. This has
created concerns with his ability to shop for food and address daily activities which has further
impacted his health. Fred has also started to feel depressed due to his isolation.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Australia’s welfare system and social systems and services include a complex network of
income support payments, welfare support services with welfare-related tax connections
(Midgley & Ochoa-Arias, 2012). Attributes of these support systems is related to positive
wellbeing which encompasses happy, comfortable, healthy, prosperous and safe or secure life.
An individual’s wellbeing is often impacted by a large number of factors from their
circumstances, behaviours, attitudes and their response to life events. Individual’s availing
support services are able to manage their own lives with little support and intervention from
Australian welfare services.
In the current case scenario Fred is considered, who is now living alone from savings in
his previous employment prior to retirement (Considine et al., 2015). Rising cost in rent and lack
of company is preventing him from addressing his daily needs. This has impacted his physical
and mental health. He can avail support of Australia’s welfare system and service framework for
2.0 PLANNING A WELFARE SYSTEM FRAMEWORK
Receiving support at the time of need can provide could come from family, friends, and
community and also from the government or non-governmental organizations. Nature and extent
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of support or assistance might vary in a person’s life (Egan, Maidment & Connolly, 2015). In
Fred’s life absence of family or friends or community, leaves him at the mercy of governmental
services as determined by Australian welfare programs and schemes. Fred can approach National
Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) which aims at providing Australians safe, sustainable
and affordable housing. Through this housing scheme, Fred will be able to live on his retirement
savings as the scheme allows participation through economic and social status. Otherwise, Fred
can also select from Commonwealth Rent Assistance, which provides a non-taxable income
supplement towards individuals residing in private or community housing. Pensioners can easily
avail this facility for their resident purposes (Jensen, 2008). Fred needs to be eligible for social
security payment which is more than the base rate of service pension or income support. Though
there are some exclusion criteria for those who are not eligible for receiving rent assistance. Fred
has to approach process for claiming social security payment. It is payable at the rate of 75 cents
for every dollar over and above the rent threshold limit till minimum rent is reached. As of 20th
March 2018 Maximum Rent Assistance Payment per Fortnight for Single with no children is
$134.80. It is estimated that the Australian Government expends an approximately $157 billion
on welfare in 2015 to 2016 alone. This figure is estimated to rise at a growth rate of 3.4%, which
now accounts for 9.5% of total gross domestic product.
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Figure 1: Government Welfare Expenditure
Most Australians require assistance for supporting their wellbeing due to life-events such
as long-term unemployment, disability, homelessness, sickness or life choices or complex
lifelong challenges. Fred being 70 year’s old would also require assistance on Financial
Wellbeing and Capability (FWC) Activity for ensuring alignment with Government’s policy
priorities towards vulnerable people (Kemp et al., 2014). This program of the Australian
Government partners with community organizations for supporting vulnerable individuals facing
financial crisis. Through this program individuals are provided with financial literacy and
budgeting skills in order to manage their money to become financially independent. Services
provided under this scheme include broad financial capability building, crisis support along with
financial counseling. There are two diverse activities which include Financial Crisis and Material
Aid and Financial Counseling, Capability and Resilience. The support assistance effects
distributing income amongst Australians. The age pension can be availed by Fred which is a
redistribution of income from working population to old age.
Many individual like Fred face disability in their old age and also mental agony from
loneliness. Australia’s welfare services have charted a path for Aged Care. Fred can easily avail
Aged Care facility for Services for people with disability. Such services are aimed at providing
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appropriate food and nutrition so that Aged can have a life with appropriate nutrition and care.
The services identify the most vulnerable group and individuals within the country and then
examine challenges that they face. Services to each and every individual are monitored in a
manner such that they can avail best possible benefits from it.
The aim of the welfare system present is structured in a manner which allows attaining
welfare for the overall state of people. They aim at meeting communal responsibilities for people
who have sought help for the purpose of competing budgeting priorities. Welfare support
systems are provided either by government or by non-governmental agencies or are provided in
collaboration with one another (Angst & Agarwal, 2009). Human and social elements are taken
into consideration for the purpose of shaping equality amongst various age groups and income
groups in the community. The focus of this welfare system is to bring at par the unprivileged or
individual and families who do not have access to adequate social and communal rights. Welfare
services offered under constitution of Australia is subdivided amongst Federal Government of
Australia and State and territory governments. Aged Care services which Fred needs to adopt to
be the sole responsibility of the Australian Government. Aged Care services such as Information
and assessment services, Healthcare and support services, Residential care services and Flexible
care services. In order to avail rapid support, Fred can also resort to State and territory
Government Services for people with disability. As Fred has become weak and is unable to stand
on his feet due to lack of food, he might select to opt this service. Services for people with
disability includes Advocacy, information and alternative forms of communication,
Accommodation support, Community support services, Community access services, Respite
care, Other support services and Employment service (only this being Australian Government
service). Fred in his situation can opt for Accommodation service such that his pension fund does
not run-out and he is able to afford a stable living. Community support services will allow Fred
to regain his physical as well as mental health with some support system.
3.0 CONCLUSION
In order to conclude it can be said that Australian Government engages various reporting
framework for measuring and indicating on Australia’s general welfare. Such a measuring
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system provides performance of the welfare system in context to contribution from other sectors
based on selected determinants. Welfare services are aimed at providing attributes that are linked
to positive wellbeing. In the current case analysis welfare can be generated and provided to Fred
only if health, income and shelter wellbeing aspects are catered to. Fred being unmarried with no
children does not have any support system from family. In such cases he has to attempt at getting
welfare services from government or non-governmental agencies. Secure housing and health care
is becoming a greatest concern for aged people in Australia. Support services catering wellbeing
can provide a wide range of support through formal and financial services. Linking service
related information is allowing identifying and catering to services exactly to those who need
them.
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4.0 REFERENCE LISTS
Angst, C. M., & Agarwal, R. (2009). Adoption of electronic health records in the presence of
privacy concerns: The elaboration likelihood model and individual persuasion. MIS
quarterly, 33(2), 339-370.
Considine, M., Lewis, J. M., O'Sullivan, S., & Sol, E. (2015). Getting welfare to work: Street-
level governance in Australia, the UK, and the Netherlands. OUP Oxford.
Egan, R., Maidment, J., & Connolly, M. (2015). Who is watching whom? Surveillance in
Australian social work supervision. The British Journal of Social Work, 46(6), 1617-
1635.
Jensen, C. (2008). Worlds of welfare services and transfers. Journal of European Social
Policy, 18(2), 151-162.
Kemp, S. P., Marcenko, M. O., Lyons, S. J., & Kruzich, J. M. (2014). Strength-based practice
and parental engagement in child welfare services: An empirical examination. Children
and Youth Services Review, 47, 27-35.
Midgley, G., & Ochoa-Arias, A. (Eds.). (2012). Community operational research: OR and
systems thinking for community development. Springer Science & Business Media.
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