Ratio of Children to Total Population: 1925 to 1995
This slide depicts the ratio of children to the total population over a seventy-year period. As you will see from the graph, the number of children in Australia more than doubled between 1925 and 1995, from 2.2 million to 4.6 million.
Most of the growth occurred after World War 11, from the late 1940s. through the 1950s, and to a lesser extent through the 1960s. The growth over this period started with the post-war baby boom, which has been attributed to the rapid increase in the proportion of people marrying and having children. At the same time, high levels of immigration brought additional children and young couples of child-bearing age to Australia.
Between 1985 and 1995 the child population increased by only 2 %, having declined by just over 1% in the previous decade.
The most recent set of ABS population projections indicates that the number of children is expected to increase over the next 30 years. However, the rate of increase is expected to be relatively slow and as time progresses, to decrease further.
From: ABS: Australian Social Trends. 4120.0 1007, page 9
Copyright (c) 1998, Ms. Jenny Aland, All rights reserved Permission to reprint on Child Research Net
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