The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

3.11.11 Parent Pathways

Summary

This topic provides an overview of Parent Pathways (1.1.P.15) including:

  • background and objectives
  • eligibility
  • activities
  • pauses, and
  • exiting Parent Pathways.

Background & objectives

Commencing from 1 November 2024, Parent Pathways will deliver a voluntary pre-employment service that will support parents who are experiencing disadvantage and who are caring for children aged under 6 years of age to establish their future work and study goals.

The service will support a parent’s future aspirations by strengthening their capabilities and providing flexible support, while respecting their individual needs and valuing their caring responsibilities.

The main objectives of Parent Pathways include:

  • supporting parents to access local services and supports to help them to care for their family and address their vocational and non-vocational barriers
  • assisting parents to identify their future aspirations, including their education and employment goals, to progress towards secure work which fits with their caring responsibilities
  • improving the longer-term economic security of parents.

Parent Pathways will operate in all non-remote areas of Australia.

Eligibility

Parents eligible for Parent Pathways are those who:

  • have primary caring responsibility for a child under 6 years (this includes grandparents, foster carers and kinship carers)
  • are not currently in paid employment, and
  • live in a non-remote location where the service is delivered

and are either

  • in receipt of PPS, PPP, CP or SpB, or
  • not receiving an income support payment and are an Australian resident (including Australian citizens, permanent visa holders, or nominated visa holders), and are either
    • a young parent under the age of 22
    • an early school leaver (parents who have not attained a year 12 or equivalent or higher qualification), or
    • a First Nations parent.

Eligible parents receiving specified income support payments and who are interested in participating in the service, will be connected to their local Parent Pathways provider via Services Australia. Other parents may register directly with a provider.

Activities

Parent Pathways can support parents through the following types of activities.

  • Goal planning - assisting the parent to identify their strengths, skills, and experience, as well as their non-vocational challenges and needs.
  • Financial assistance - assisting the parent with the cost of participating in pre-employment activities. This could include paying for transportation costs to attend meetings, access community services or attend job interviews, costs of accessing education or training opportunities or purchasing work-related goods or services.
  • Referral to local support services - such as financial information services, housing support services, family and domestic violence services, health services, and mental health services.
  • Assistance to access suitable childcare - assisting parents to apply for subsidies and covering the cost of expenses such as waitlist fees and bonds.
  • Education and training - helping parents to connect to education or training opportunities.
  • Career guidance - supporting parents who wish to develop a career plan, by considering their strengths, skills and local labour market opportunities.
  • Employment - assisting parents to look for secure employment when they are ready, or helping with résumé development, job interview preparation, work-related costs, accessing wage subsidies, relocation assistance or providing post-placement support where a parent obtains work.
  • Transition support and warm handovers - to assist parents to transition smoothly from Parent Pathways into employment services when their youngest child turns 6.

Pauses

Participants may request a pause from Parent Pathways which must be actioned and recorded by their provider. An initial pause period can be granted for between one and 3 months based on the participant's preference. The pause may be extended for additional periods of up to 3 months if required by the participant. The total pause period must not exceed 12 months.

Parent Pathways providers must contact the participant at least one week before the participant is expected to return to the service and confirm whether they intend to re-commence participating in Parent Pathways or require the pause to be extended.

Exiting Parent Pathways

Parent Pathways is a voluntary service, and eligible parents may choose when they opt in or out of the service.

Participants will exit Parent Pathways for any of the following reasons:

  • They no longer want to participate in the service.
  • They obtain regular employment for more than 15 hours per week.

Parents will be exited from Parent Pathways when they are no longer eligible for the service due to any of the following reasons:

  • Their youngest child turns 6 years old.
  • Their income support payment is cancelled.
  • They move outside the employment regions where the service is delivered.
  • They commence in the Disability Employment Service.

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