Receipt of parenting, disability, unemployment, and other income support payments in persons aged 16 to 33 years – the associations with child maltreatment

Background: Child maltreatment (CM) is a major public health concern with life-long effects. Its impact on income support has rarely been studied. 

Objective: To examine the association between CM and receipt of income support payments and the budgetary impact for persons 16 to 33 years. Participants and setting: A South Australian birth cohort, born 1986 to 2004 (n = 339,411). 

Methods: We linked child protection (CP) administrative records with national welfare payment records, ending March 2020. Receipt of income support payments and mean payment amounts were described by CP contact (adjusted for child and family attributes). Budget impact was modelled at the national level. 

Results: Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for receipt of any income support payment was 3.01 (2.95–3.07) for individuals with any CP contact versus no CP contact. Among those receiving any payment, adjusted annualised mean benefit payment was $3754 (US$1446) among individuals with no CP contact, $6262 (US$4,307) in persons with any CP contact, and $9,747 in persons who'd been in OOHC. Cumulative payments modelled from age 16 to 33 years totalled $38,570 (US$26,652) for individuals with no CP contact, and $181,743 (US$125,003) for individuals who'd been in OOHC. Modelled for the Australian population to age 33, the extra cost associated with CP contact added 39 % to the government income support budget. 

Conclusion: CM is strongly associated with receipt of income support payments. Investment in effective preventive and protective strategies for CP involved children could address this core social determinant of health, while providing budget savings.