Additional support for teenage parents with their child care costs
As part of a new approach to addressing disadvantaged communities and promoting long term economic participation, the Australian Government will invest $47 million over four years to trial new measures to make sure that teenage parents finish school and support their children.
These new measures will be trialled in 10 disadvantaged communities across Australia:
- Playford (SA)
- Hume (Vic)
- Shepparton (Vic)
- Burnie (Tas)
- Bankstown (NSW)
- Wyong (NSW)
- Shellharbour (NSW)
- Rockhampton (Qld)
- Logan (Qld)
- Kwinana (WA)
Teenage parents can currently access support for child care while they are studying, but we know there are many who are not able to access this assistance because they aren't participating in employment or study.
In these 10 communities an additional $20.2 million in child care fee assistance will support teenage parents in returning to study or other participation activities, commencing in January 2012. These plans will focus on education pathways such as finishing school, foundation skills or certificate level qualifications. There will also be a focus on school readiness for their children.
In tandem with this initiative, in these same 10 communities, the Government has committed an extra $15.9 million in child care fee assistance to assist jobless families to return to work. This includes extending eligibility for Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care Fee Assistance from 26 weeks to up to 52 weeks for parents undertaking employment, from July 2012. This commitment will assist parents transitioning from income support to paid employment and will reduce barriers to employment and allow parents more time to develop an attachment to the workforce.
These additional investments in child care assistance will significantly lighten the financial burden placed on eligible parents in these trial communities to access child care as they will have close to 100% of their child care fees covered while they are meeting their work and study obligations.
From 1 January 2012, teenage parents in trial communities receiving Parenting Payment, with a child aged six months or older, will be required to attend compulsory support and engagement interviews with Centrelink until they complete Year 12 or equivalent or until their youngest child turns six.
Through this service, parents will work with Centrelink to develop a participation plan that includes compulsory activities designed to support them in their parenting role or help them gain a good education.
Teen parents will be required to undertake compulsory activities from when their child is one year old, to give teen parents time to settle into life with their new baby.
These teen parents will also be given support to help them meet these extra responsibilities and milestones, in addition to child care assistance, including:
- Support from Youth Connections services through individualised case management to help them enrol and attend school, TAFE or other training.
- Support from expanded Communities for Children services to help teens with their parenting responsibilities through playgroups, parenting education classes, mentoring and support groups as well as early learning programs.
- Training places delivered through a National Partnership with states and territories.
If they do not engage with Centrelink when required, without a reasonable reason, they will have their income support payment suspended until they re-engage.
Participants will be back-paid for any withheld income support payments if they re-engage.
For more information on JET Child Care Fee Assistance, see the JET Child Care Fee Assistance fact sheet.