An 11-year-old girl knows once rent is paid, there is almost nothing left over, so she tries not to ask for too much. She never takes school excursion notes home in case the cost is too much.

A 10-year-old boy's dad has been angry since he was injured at work; he can no longer support his family, and awaits compensation. It makes this boy feel sad, but he understands and tries not to add to his dad's stress.

This is how children have described their experiences of poverty in research I have done over several years.

An eight-year-old boy is often hungry, but knows if he tells his mum, she will eat less herself and go hungry. He hates the thought, so he stays quiet.

An 11-year-old girl knows once rent is paid, there is almost nothing left over, so she tries not to ask for too much. She never takes school excursion notes home in case the cost is too much.

A 10-year-old boy's dad has been angry since he was injured at work; he can no longer support his family, and awaits compensation. It makes this boy feel sad, but he understands and tries not to add to his dad's stress.

This is how children have described their experiences of poverty in research I have done over several years.

Children have also told us relationships are essential. They talk about the importance of family, the strength of community, and people helping one another.

These help buffer children from the effects of poverty - but none can address its structural drivers, or the ways systems fail many people.

Decades after then prime minister Bob Hawke declared that by 1990, "no Australian child will live in poverty", the problem remains very real in Australia.

So what is that experience like for children, and what needs to be done?

Three key themes

My research shows that when we listen to children about their experiences of poverty, three themes almost always emerge.

First, not having the material basics - enough food, a safe and secure home, transport - is a near-constant problem for far too many children.

Some of these things can be bought if money is sufficient, but some - like secure housing and transport - require investment in public infrastructure and equal distribution of resources. These are structural problems, not individual ones.

My colleagues and I have found children are more likely to talk about the importance of food than toys or electronic devices. Hunger shapes priorities powerfully.

Second, poverty limits children's ability to participate in activities and services (such as sport, public library time and health care).

This can be due to families not having the money - but often the barriers are, once again, structural. Schools in low-income areas are often under-resourced, playgrounds are less likely to be maintained, services are limited, and public transport is inadequate.

Third, relationships are deeply affected by the pressures poverty creates.

This is exacerbated by factors such as:

• low income
• punitive conditions placed on welfare recipients (such as needing to attend playgroups and parenting classes or job interviews)
• insecure work
• housing stress
• unaffordable costs of living.

For children, time with the people they love - particularly parents - is always a priority. Poverty eats away at that time.

The pressure of poverty eats away at the time children can spend with their parents.

A culture of shame

Another, perhaps even more harmful, theme has emerged in Australia over recent decades - the discourse around poverty often attaches blame and stigma to individuals.

Anyone deemed to be part of the "undeserving poor" is shamed. Children experience this in the names targeted at them, their families and communities. Policy settings around welfare can be unbelievably punitive.

As a society, we are diminished by this blaming and shaming rhetoric. It undermines our ability to care for others, and to recognise the value of care.

Six changes needed now

There is no quick fix, but here are six changes that would help immediately.

Boost welfare benefits

Children in families dependent on working-age benefits will grow up in income poverty. Children in single-parent (usually single mum) families dependent on income support are most likely to be in poverty. The policy response is clear - we must raise the rate of working-age benefits and reform the child support system.

Recognise the importance of strong and supportive relationships

Relationships are crucial to children but undue pressure on parents - through welfare conditions or child-unfriendly, insecure working conditions - undermines those relationships.

Some countries, such as New Zealand, are undertaking child impact assessments, which aim to work out whether a given policy proposal will improve the wellbeing of children and young people.

Australia should do similar assessments of all policies, particularly those linked to social security and labour markets.

Build child-friendly communities

As governments respond to the housing crisis through greater numbers of social housing it is critical we adhere to principles of child-friendly communities.

This means providing safe, welcoming places for children to play, building footpaths so children can easily and safely get around, creating communal, child-inclusive spaces to bring people together across generations, and creating child-friendly services close to home.

Reform education funding

Education funding must be more equitable, and ensure all children can access and enjoy high-quality schooling.

Change the narratives and language around poverty

We must recognise poverty is not the fault of the individual. Debates and policies should be based on empathy, not blame.

Put children at the centre of policy

This could include approaches like the European Child Guarantee, which aims to guarantee every child access to essential services.

• Sharon Bessell Professor of Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University.
• First published in The Conversation. Republished with permission.

This is especially so as Melburnians entered the strictest lockdown to date.

Meanwhile, the rest of Australia braces for the possibility of a second wave and people are adapting to new habits and restrictions.

This has disrupted our social routines, and in many cases has reduced the number of people we interact with. This makes it harder to maintain meaningful social connections, resulting in loneliness.

But sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you're feeling lonely or feeling something else. And many people are reluctant to admit they're lonely for fear it makes them seem deficient in some way.

So what are the signs of loneliness? And how can we recognise these signs and therefore manage them?

I'm not lonely…

Loneliness is complex. Some people can feel lonely despite having extensive networks, while some others might not, even if they live alone. There are many factors behind this, and the COVID-19 pandemic is another significant one.

Social restrictions during the pandemic mean we are more reliant on existing relationships. People who enjoy brief but multiple social interactions in their daily routine, or simply like being around others, may now find it harder to keep loneliness at bay.

When researchers ask people whether they're lonely, some deny or reject the idea. But when asked in a different way, like whether they want some company, some of those same people would say yes, they would like company.

This is because there's a social stigma to loneliness. We often think it is somehow our own fault or that it reveals some personal shortcoming. Loneliness evokes a particularly vulnerable image, of someone living alone with no one around them.

One survey also found men are less likely to say they're feeling lonely, although this research was published before COVID-19.

"Max", aged 21, was interviewed as part of an upcoming project being done by Ending Loneliness Together, an organisation that addresses loneliness in Australia. He has experienced periods of loneliness and said:

Because of these misconceptions, many who are lonely will overlook their own emerging signs of loneliness in the hope these feelings will go away once they are around people.

But seemingly logical solutions like making more friends or knowing more people may not help, if you perceive these relationships to be unhelpful, neutral, ambivalent, or even sources of conflict.

Nevertheless, ignoring growing levels of loneliness will increase our risk of developing poorer physical and mental health.

Signs you might be lonely

Loneliness is a normal signal to connect with others, so it's unlikely you'll be able to rid yourself completely of lonely feelings during this time. Instead, we should aim to manage our loneliness so it doesn't become severely distressing.

More often than not, we might not be willing to admit even to ourselves that we're feeling lonely. The COVID-19 pandemic may be a trigger, but there is a range of factors that can lead you to feel lonely, sometimes without even realising.

This can make it hard to be consciously aware of any loneliness you might be experiencing, particularly if the pandemic has left you feeling busier and more stressed than usual.

Here are some signs you might be feeling lonely. To a certain extent, you feel that:

• you are not "in tune" with others
• your relationships are not meaningful
• you do not belong
• you do not have a group of friends
• no one understands you
• you do not have shared interests with others
• there is no one you can turn to.

It's important to remember, though, not all of these may relate to you and you may experience these in varying degrees.

How to manage your loneliness

Because of the complexity of loneliness, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. To find the best solution for you, reflect on your personal preferences, previous experience, and your capacity to reach out to your social networks.

During the pandemic, the solutions you select will differ depending on the social restrictions in your state.

Even under the strictest social restrictions (in Melbourne), some of us have been fortunate to have a friend or a neighbour in our area with whom we can walk and chat while still adhering to public health directives.

For others, getting in touch via Zoom or a phone call may be the only option.

For those who can, establishing shared goals or activities with friends, family, or colleagues can be helpful.

These provide positive social support and facilitate a sense of achievement when meeting those goals. This might include setting self-care goals such as exercise, meditation, cooking, hobbies, or learning new skills. But equally, it's not a sign of "failure" if you don't do these things.

Friendships are good for our health, but making a new friend can be taxing for some people.

Instead, perhaps think about how you can work on existing relationships.

Pick what feels right and is feasible for you.

If improving the ties you already hold is all you can do, focus on this. And if you are reaching out to people outside your familiar network, it doesn't have to be confronting. A simple hello is a small step towards more meaningful interactions in the future.

Social restrictions including isolation, quarantining, and social distancing are public health measures we've become acquainted with since the onset of COVID-19.

Although these restrictions modify our social interactions physically, they don't mean we can't stay meaningfully connected to each other. This is why many prefer the alternative term "physical distancing".

We can, and should, stay socially connected while being physically apart.

• Michelle H Lim is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology.
• Originally published on The Conversation. Republished with permission.

Earlier this year, Tracey Crouch was appointed the United Kingdom's first minister for loneliness.

While it may seem unusual to some to have government take a role in improving our social connections, it makes sense when you consider the negative impact of loneliness not only on the individual, but also the wider community.

But with increasing investment from government, how do we ensure programs intended to address loneliness are well-targeted and successful?

What is loneliness?

Loneliness is a negative feeling that arises when someone's social needs are unmet by their current social relationships.

So people can feel alone, even if they're surrounded by others, if they're not getting the right kind of company and support.

While many think of loneliness as a social issue, it also affects our health.

A person who perceives themselves as having less access to relationships, also finds physical and mental tasks more difficult.

People with less access to others can't rely on group safety or "share the load" of life's challenges.

This can result in stress.

Researchers found hand-holding with a spouse (as opposed to a stranger) can significantly reduce stress during difficult tasks.

And these effects were even larger with couples that reported the highest quality relationship.

These emotional and psychological effects translate into physiological effects.

Loneliness negatively impacts brain processes, ability to handle cognitive tasks, control of inflammation in the body, ability to regulate stress, and severity of mental health symptoms, just to name a few.

Loneliness has been found to be a risk factor for all causes of early death and feeling lonely increases our likelihood of earlier death by 26%.

This is greater than the risk for obesity.

How to reduce loneliness

Reducing loneliness has obvious health benefits.

But the solution isn't as simple as connecting lonely people with other people; rather, it involves the establishment of meaningful connections.

Many social initiatives rely heavily on connecting lonely people with strangers and a rotating cast of volunteers.

Most of these programs designed to address loneliness are being implemented without testing their effectiveness.

The following should be considered when addressing loneliness.

First, loneliness provides a signal for us to seek out others.

The aim should be to reduce distressing levels of loneliness, rather than getting rid of loneliness per se.

And we should be mindful of risk factors that are less amenable to change, such as genetics, which can make people more predisposed to feeling lonely.

Second, loneliness can be transmitted from person to person.

Research shows loneliness can be passed on up to three degrees of separation from the lonely individual.

Exactly how this occurs is yet to be fully understood - we have yet to explain whether loneliness is relayed via negative thoughts, behaviours, or feelings within relationships.

Not understanding the transmission process may lead some to experience loneliness after interacting with the lonely.

Third, unhelpful thoughts and negative beliefs about others and the social world are thought to underpin loneliness.

Researchers have found programs that provide social opportunities as well as helping the lonely person learn how to interact better with others are the most useful.

Last, the predictors of loneliness differ depending on demographics.

We know, for instance, there are two risk periods for loneliness: in adolescents and young people under 25, and adults over the age of 65.

How we tackle loneliness should vary for both groups.

For example, an older adult may need grief counselling from a bereavement, whereas a younger person may need help coping with social anxiety.

A public health campaign in Australia could play a large role in destigmatising loneliness and addressing its health implications.

A successful campaign could recast misconceptions of loneliness as a sign of vulnerability, fragility, or weakness, occurring only in people who are physically isolated or old.

Similar campaigns have been introduced in Denmark and the UK, with a national initiative gathering momentum here in Australia.

Australian doctors and health professionals would benefit from an assessment tool to identify the risks for loneliness.

Australians would also benefit from the introduction of guidelines for good social health, as well as education around positive social relationships, which could start in schools.

With targeted solutions, we could improve feelings of loneliness across all ages.

Sources

• Michelle H Lim Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology. First published in The Conversation.
• Image: Sander Troelstra

This is a record that has already prompted other inquiries here and overseas.

It would indeed be wrong to ignore the failings of other churches and secular institutions as recent events in Britain have revealed, most notably, the lax performance of the BBC in the scandalous behaviour of their pin-up star, Jimmy Savile over decades of impunity in abusing children.

The tentacles of this scandal have reached to a variety of other secular institutions, including children's homes and hospitals. The terms of the Australian inquiry , as announced by the federal government, have reasonably addressed such concerns by including institutions other than the Catholic Church in the Commission's remit. Closed institutional power over the vulnerable, wherever it exists, is a key factor in the perpetuation of abusive conditions.

Even so, the Catholic Church has and continues to have major problems dealing with this issue of clerical sexual abuse, and virtually every day produces new evidence in a variety of countries, not only of abuse by clergy, but of negligence, cover-up, concealment, and deceit that have contributed to dreadful injustice to victims.

Significantly, these problems have combined with other tensions and stresses within the church to expose an even deeper crisis in the church's structures and doctrines, and have contributed to a broad disaffection of laity and significant sections of the clergy with the church's leadership and its exercise of authority. In Ireland, for example, the previous widespread attitudes of respect and deference towards church authorities and institutions have almost entirely disappeared, conspicuously amongst the young, but even dramatically amongst the older generations.

The sex abuse crisis has crystallised for many Catholics an alienation from church structures and authority that began with the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae of 1968 reasserting the standard ban on artificial contraception. Continue reading

Sources

• Tony Coady in The Conversation
• Image: The Australian

Tony Coady is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne. He is a Catholic.

Depression is more than the experience of sadness or stress. A depressive episode is defined as a period of two weeks or longer where the individual experiences persistent feelings of sadness or loss of pleasure, coupled with a range of other physical and psychological symptoms including fatigue, changes in sleep or appetite, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating or thoughts of death.

To be diagnosed with major depressive disorder, individuals must experience at least one depressive episode that disrupts their work, social or home life.

Depression is common in the community, with 12% of Australians experiencing major depressive disorder in their lifetime. More than 650,000 Australians have this experience in any 12-month period.

Because it's highly prevalent and can be significantly disabling, the World Health Organization reports that depression is the third highest cause of disease burden worldwide, with a greater burden on the community than heart disease. There are also high levels of overlap between depression and other common mental disorders, including anxiety and substance use disorders.

Unfortunately, only 35% of people with symptoms of mental health problems seek help. This may be because of difficulties identifying depression in the community due to a lack of knowledge or accessing care, and stigmatising attitudes towards depression.

Depression prevention programs that provide accessible treatments, increase knowledge and change negative attitudes are an important way to increase access to treatment and reduce the burden of depression.

There's generally no single reason why an individual becomes depressed. There's a constellation of risk factors, including physiological, genetic, psychological, social and demographic influences. Continue reading

Sources

• The Conversation
• Image: Kiki Tea