New pre-employment service for parents of young children

The Australian Government has announced that, from 1 November 2024, a new voluntary pre-employment service will be available to eligible parents of young children.

The new service will maintain the Australian Government payments parents receive, and parents will continue to have ongoing access to current supports until the new service commences.

What’s involved

The new service will work with parents to identify their strengths and pursue their educational and employment goals. Parents will receive quality support provided by suitably qualified and experienced mentors. If they choose, parents will be connected with specialist services, helped with job readiness, or participate in training that meets their needs. Parents will be able to decide how financial support is used to help them to participate in the service and to achieve their goals.

Eligible parents will have the flexibility to engage with the service when they choose and for as long as they wish, up until their youngest child turns 6 years old.

Features of the new service are a response to feedback gathered from parents and will include:

  • voluntary participation
  • a flexible service that values parents’ caring role
  • support by suitably qualified and experienced mentors
  • ‘meets parents where they are at’ – both in location and in their lives
  • clear information and choice about supports that are available
  • support for parents to make their own choices in deciding their future
  • practical financial support to parents, including:
    • The Individual Fund assigned to the parent, to assist them to engage in the new service and build their capability, and
    • The Pooled Fund, which will provide financial assistance for pre-employment supports and will be administered by service providers in consultation with parents.

You can find out more about the service and eligibility here.

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