Young families migrating to non-metropolitan areas : are they at increased risk of social exclusion?

The relocation of people away from major cities is one of the key contemporary demographic shifts currently underway in Australia. The reasons for this trend are unclear, although initial evidence suggests push factors such as high housing costs in the major cities, and pull factors such as the appeal of a low stress lifestyle, are major contributors to many young families’ decisions to leave metropolitan areas. Whether by choice or by compulsion, non-metropolitan relocation can have a significant impact on the life options of young families. Rather than achieving an idyllic lifestyle, many young families become increasingly vulnerable to social isolation and dislocation from key institutions of education and employment. A major social policy challenge confronts Australian governments and non-government agencies in responding to the social and economic needs of these young families.