Australia launches new Parent Pathways service

The Australian government has launched a new Parent Pathways service aimed at providing personalised pre-employment support to eligible parents and carers of young children.

Employment Minister Murray Watt launched the programme in Adelaide, which will include an Australian Public Service direct delivery pilot in Playford, South Australia.

"This pilot will help uplift the public service's capability in service delivery and will provide direct on-the-ground insights into the support needs of parents and carers," Watt said in a statement.

Offers under Parent Pathways

The new Parent Pathways is a response to parents' request for more choice, flexibility, and tailored support, according to the minister.

"We've listened and we've delivered. Parent Pathways will support parents to achieve their education, employment, and career goals, while keeping their family front and centre," Watt said.

It is a voluntary, personalised, and flexible service that will support parents receiving Parenting Payment with young children under six years, according to the Australian government. The service offers:

• Support from qualified and experienced mentors 
• Language or literacy programmes 
• Access to training and short courses, or support to get a qualification 
• Financial support, for example, to help with the cost of training courses or to purchase a computer 
• Referral to supports such as financial information services and family and domestic violence support services.

"Parent Pathways gives parents the flexibility to engage with the programme on their terms, and in ways that fit around their family life," said Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth in a statement.

"Parent Pathways recognises parents have complex and varied challenges. It will deliver culturally sensitive and trauma-informed services."

Replacing the ParentsNext programme

Parent Pathways is the first programme implemented under the government's employment services reform agenda, replacing the Coalition government's ParentsNext programme, which recently ended on October 31.

Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said Parent Pathways will deliver better outcomes for parents than the previous ParentsNext programme.

"For too long, recipients of Parenting Payment with young children were penalised instead of being supported to overcome barriers to achieving their goals – whether in education, employment, or their long-term career," Gallagher said in a statement.

"We've listened and the new Parent Pathways programme will help to provide choice and empower parents to achieve their potential."