A child health expert says 20 per cent of Australian parents are unfit to raise children because they lack the means or life skills.
Fiona Stanley says many others don't devote enough time to their children because of job commitments,
Professor Stanley, an adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and former Australian of the Year, has also criticised the government's paid parental leave policies.
She's warned that a national campaign is needed to protect the futures of Australian children.
"There are a worrying number of threats to children's health in today's society," Prof Stanley, founder of the Institute for Child Health Research, said.
"If we don't respond to these challenges, we will be looking at our generation as being the last generation that lives longer than its parents."
Mental illness, obesity, asthma and substance abuse are the biggest health risks for Australian children, Prof Stanley said.
But cultural changes of the past 30 years are having just as big an impact.
"There have been incredible changes in the workplace, which might have been good for people's income, but are not good for parenting," she said.
"You've got more hours of work, more women working - but without men or the business world or government coming forward with good childcare.
"So who's responsible for the children when a high proportion of women are working? That's been very detrimental to children."
She said paid parental leave is crucial.
A draft report for the Productivity Commission's inquiry into paid parental leave will be released tomorrow.
Prof Stanley said up to one in five parents are financially and socially ill-equipped for child-rearing.
"There's this increasing group of parents who are just not making ends meet," she said.
"They don't have the capacity to be a parent."AAPWhat do you think? Discuss the issue of parenting and working with EB members.
