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.

2.5 Caring for a child

Introduction

PLP is designed to support eligible parents who have been in the work force to take time off work to care for their newborn child. It also assists carers to take time off work to care for a recently adopted child or to care for a child in some exceptional circumstances. A claimant must generally be caring for the child (1.1.C.10) on a flexible PPL day (1.1.F.70) in order to be eligible on that day.

A person is caring for a child on a day if the child is in their care on the day. More than one person can be caring for a child on a day.

The PPL Rules prescribe conditions where a PPL or special PPL claimant remains eligible for PLP on a day that they are not caring for a child, where they are temporarily unable to care for the child (1.1.T.50) or where they have lost care of the child (1.1.L.30) without their consent.

Additionally, a birth mother who relinquishes their child in a surrogacy or adoption arrangement, or a birth mother whose child was removed from their care by a state or territory child protection agency or in accordance with a decision of a court of a state or territory, may be an eligible PPL claimant for PLP even though they are not caring for the child.

The birth mother will only be eligible on a day within:

  • 20 weeks of the day the child was born, for children born on or after 1 July 2023
  • 22 weeks of the day the child was born, for children born on or after 1 July 2024
  • 24 weeks of the day the child was born, for children born on or after 1 July 2025
  • 26 weeks of the day the child was born, for children born on or after 1 July 2026.

Act reference: PPLAct section 31AA When a person is eligible for PLP on a flexible PPL day for a child, section 47 Caring for a child

PPL Rules Part 2 Eligibility for PLP

Policy reference: PPL Guide 2.1 PLP eligibility overview

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