Hostel Parents

ANZSCO ID 423412

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,400
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
50%
Female Share
69%
Average age
39

Summary

Hostel Parents provide care and supervision for children and young people living in residential facilities such as boarding school residential colleges and hostels.

Tasks

  • Plans and implements programmes of supervision and care for children in residential care.

  • Supervises and arranges activities to enhance the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of children in residential care.

  • Wakes children and ensures they are washed, dressed, fed and ready for educational and recreational activities.

  • Supervises children during domestic activities such as eating meals and showering.

  • Maintains discipline, enforces regulations and behaviour standards, compiles disciplinary reports and assists in implementing remedial measures.

Characteristics

Job Type
Community And Personal Service Workers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Special Care Workers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 50% of people employed as Hostel Parents work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 16 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 47 hours per week in their main job. This is 3 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Education and Training
83.5%
2
Accommodation and Food Services
7.9%
3
Health Care and Social Assistance
3.8%
4
Other Services
1.2%
5
Other industries
2.2%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

22.9% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

10.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

29.6% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.0% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

22.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.7% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

5.1% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.2% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Hostel Parents All Jobs Average
NSW 22.9 31.6
VIC 10.2 25.6
QLD 29.6 20.0
SA 8.0 7.0
WA 22.2 10.8
TAS 1.7 2.0
NT 5.1 1.0
ACT 0.2 1.9


  • Around 51% of Hostel Parents live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
39
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
69%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Hostel Parents is 39 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 20 to 24 years.

    Females make up 69% of the workforce. This is 21 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Hostel Parents All Jobs Average
15-19 6.3 5.0
20-24 22.0 9.3
25-34 16.2 22.9
35-44 11.6 22.0
45-54 16.1 21.6
55-59 11.2 9.0
60-64 8.9 6.0
65 and Over 7.8 4.2
Median Age 39 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Experience caring for children is usually needed to work as a Hostel Parent. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification or university degree in related areas like education or nursing.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Hostel Parents All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 7.7 10.1
Bachelor degree 21.3 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 12.6 11.6
Certificate III/IV 15.0 21.1
Year 12 31.0 18.1
Year 11 3.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 9.0 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Special Care Workers who are caring, compassionate and empathetic and communicate clearly, with strong people skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 57%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 57%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 50%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 48%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 48%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 48%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 46%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 46%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 45%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 45%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 45%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 43%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 43%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 43%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 43%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 43%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 41%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 79%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 72%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 59%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 55%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 54%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 53%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 49%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 46%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 46%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 42%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 38%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 37%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 36%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 35%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 34%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 33%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 25%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 19%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 17%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 11%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 54%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 52%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 48%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 46%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 45%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 45%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 45%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 43%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 43%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 43%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 37%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 34%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 34%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 32%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 32%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 80%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 77%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 75%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 75%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 73%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 72%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 72%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 72%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 67%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 67%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 67%

    Coaching and developing others

    Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.

  • 65%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 65%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 65%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 65%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 65%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 64%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 63%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 54%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

  • 48%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 95%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 76%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 67%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 38%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 33%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 19%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 90%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 67%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 67%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 57%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 55%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 43%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 99%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 96%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 95%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 92%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 91%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 87%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 85%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 85%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 84%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 77%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 76%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 75%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 74%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 73%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 73%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 72%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 72%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 71%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 71%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 39-9041.00 - Residential Advisors.


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