Single parents demand better Parents Next Programmeprogramme

From July 2018, 68,000 parents who have beenwere placed on a new government programprogramme, Parents Next. The program intendprogramme intends to deliver a pathway to targeted disadvantagetarget disadvantaged parents, overwhelmingly single women, in order to assist and link them to activities and services in the local community.

However, there are opposing viewviews among the parents about they arebeing forced to meet a participation plan negotiated with their Parents Next and itthat seems designed to add one more complication tocomplications for people who are already struggling. If they don’t, their parenting payment can be suspended or terminated.

A single parent of two has to wind back to one subject to focus on complying with the programprogramme. Another woman had her payments suspended for not reporting her attendance ofto the programme because her kidchild had kindergarten at the same time.