ParentsNext has been the subject of much public debate including a Senate inquiry. The pre-employment program aims to assist eligible new parents to be job ready through setting education and employment goals. It has been criticised for being too rigid, not applying exemptions in appropriate cases (for instance in cases where family violence is evident or a challenging pregnancy) and unfairly triggering a suspension in parenting payments for participants.
Some parents will need support to help them return to work.Credit:Michele Mossop
The many stories across media agencies have unearthed less-than-ideal practices, clear systemic limitations and a breadth of complexity in the guidelines. While legitimate concerns, these issues do not take away from the fundamental benefits of providing new parents with support to become "job ready" when they are ready to return to work. Our members, being not-for-profit employment service providers, have cited ParentsNext participants attributing greater personal confidence through the support provided, being able to plan their future and execute those plans with tangible upskilling and education enhancements, resulting in a more employable parent.
A pre-employment program like ParentsNext is similar in function to an early intervention program, in that it intervenes early with a view to prevent a future adverse outcome. Eligible parents on Parenting Payments are supported to become job ready, increasing the likelihood of future gainful employment and subsequently allowing participants and their families to enjoy associated benefits. This is not dissimilar in theory to a range of health and justice-related programs which seek to prevent the onset of adverse health issues or reduce the likelihood of recidivism, all of which derive significant savings going forward for government and the broader community.
Perhaps expedited by the Senate inquiry and dogged public advocacy, the government is progressing a series of tweaks aiming to generate greater flexibility in the application of compliance under mutual obligation. This relates, for instance, to reducing the frequency of reporting and the number of activities which need to be reported on.