PARENTSNEXT HELPING PARENTS SECURE EMPLOYMENT

The Turnbull Government’s ParentsNext program is helping parents with young children to move into work once their children are at school.

In the 2017–18 Budget we announced that we would, from July 2018, expand the successful ParentsNext program to help more parents experience the benefits of having a job.

Following the competitive Request for Tender, today the Government is announcing the 57 organisations that have been chosen to deliver the expanded program.

ParentsNext providers will deliver early intervention assistance such as identifying education and employment goals, developing a pathway to achieve them and links to activities and services in the local community.

Participants meet regularly with their ParentsNext provider, develop a tailored Participation Plan and complete activities to help prepare them for employment.

ParentsNext will be delivered via a Targeted and an Intensive Stream. The Targeted Stream will be delivered to the most disadvantaged parents in all non-remote areas of Australia.

The Intensive Stream will be delivered in 30 locations with high levels of Indigenous parents and disadvantage. It will have a focus on meeting the employment Closing the Gap target for Indigenous Australians and access to a range of support including a Participation Fund, wage subsidies and relocation assistance.

With approximately 96 per cent of participants expected to be women, including about 10,000 Indigenous women, the program will complement other Government initiatives to increase female participation in the workforce.

Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash, said this will help about 68,000 parents every year who have young children and are at risk of long-term welfare dependency.

“The best form of welfare is a job but for many parents, particularly women, caring for young children means long periods out of the paid workforce and it can be hard to get back into it.”

“This program really helps parents with the skills and assistance they need to get into the workforce, leading to better outcomes for their families.”

“The successful ParentsNext providers are experienced in delivering services that meet the needs of parents, especially Indigenous parents, in their communities,” said Minister Cash.

The program has been successfully operating in 10 locations across Australia since April 2016 and the Government is investing $263 million in its expansion.