Clients with a shorter length of ADF service

Compared with all ex-serving ADF members, ex-serving ADF SHS clients served for a shorter length of time in the ADF. Nearly 2 in 3 (63%) ex-serving ADF SHS clients served for less than 5 years, and half (49%) of all ex-serving ADF SHS clients served for 2 years or less.

Ex-serving ADF SHS clients who had served for less than 5 years were compared with other ex-serving ADF SHS clients (Table 15). Key findings include:

  • Clients with less than 5 years of ADF service were younger as at the end of the reporting period (30 June 2017)—63% were aged 17–34 years, compared with 26% of clients with 5–9 years of ADF service and only 2% of clients with more than 10 years of ADF service.
  • There was no difference across the groups with respect to the proportions of men and women.
  • A higher proportion of clients with less than 5 years of service were homeless at the start of support—48% compared with 38% of clients with more than 10 years of ADF service.
  • Clients with less than 5 years of service received a similar number of support days across the 6-year period to clients with longer lengths of ADF service.
  • Clients with less than 5 years of service received similar amounts of financial assistance to clients with longer lengths of ADF service.
  • A higher proportion of clients with less than 5 years of service were unemployed at the start of support—49% compared with 40% of clients with 5-9 years of ADF service and 36% of clients with more than 10 years of ADF service.

Table 15: Demographic and service profile of ex-serving ADF SHS clients, by length of ADF service, 2011–12 to 2016–17

 

Less than 5 years (%)

5–9 years (%)

10 or more years (%)

Age at end of reporting period

17–24

8

0

0

25–34

55

26

2

35–44

29

56

28

45 and over

8

18

70

Sex

Women

22

27

21

Men

78

73

79

Housing situation at the start of support

Homeless

48

47

38

At Risk

52

53

62

Housing situation at the end of support

Homeless

42

43

34

At Risk

58

57

66

Number of support days during reporting period

Up to 5 days

28

27

26

6 to 45 days

30

28

24

46 to 90 days

14

11

14

91 to 180 days

10

17

17

Over 180 days

17

18

18

Amount of financial assistance provided during reporting period

$0 to $200

78

74

85

$201 to $400

8

7

5

$401 to $800

8

7

6

Over $800

5

12

5

Labour force status at start of support

Employed (full time, part time or not stated)

15

14

15

Unemployed

49

40

36

Not in the labour force

23

28

33

Don’t know

13

17

15

Notes

  1. Unless otherwise stated, the denominators used for calculating percentages in the table above are 766 for clients with less than 5 years of ADF service, 193 for clients with 5-9 years of ADF service and 256 for clients with 10 or more years of ADF service.
  2. Housing situation at the start of support is the housing situation of a client during the financial year in which the client first received SHS support. Clients at the start of support are categorised as either homeless or at risk of homelessness. Percentages have been calculated using the total number of clients as denominator excluding clients whose status was not stated (denominator of 690 for less than 5 years, 167 for 5–9 years, 225 for 10 years or more).
  3. Housing situation at the end of support is the housing situation of a client during the financial year in which the client last received SHS support. Clients at the end of support are categorised as either homeless or in stable housing. Percentages have been calculated using the total number of clients as denominator excluding clients whose status was not stated (denominator of 658 for less than 5 years, 166 for 5–9 years, 215 for 10 years or more).
  4. If the support period start or end dates are outside of the reporting period for a financial year, total days are calculated using a start date of 1 July and an end date of 30 June. Days of support in the table above are calculated by summing all support days received by the client between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2017.
  5. The amount of financial assistance for a client is calculated by adding the amount of financial assistance provided across all support periods from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2017. This includes financial assistance, material aid, brokerage and vouchers provided to, or on behalf, of the client during the reporting period.
  6. Labour force status at the start of support is the status of a client during the financial year in which the client first received SHS support.

Source: AIHW analysis of linked PMKeyS–SHSC data 2011–12 to 2016–17.