The ‘More Flexible Participation Requirements for Parents’ 2009-10 Budget Measure was introduced on 1 July 2010. This measure increases flexibility for parents in meeting their participation requirements and modifies certain existing participation exemptions to make them more responsive to individual family circumstances.

The budget initiative responds to the Participation Review Taskforce. The taskforce was established by the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, the former Minister for Employment Participation in May 2008. The taskforce report was delivered to the Australian Government in August 2008 and contained 20 recommendations (including one for mature age job seekers). The Government has implemented 18 of these recommendations in full and one in part. As part of the Budget Measure the Government is investing $26.8 million to help parents balance family and caring responsibilities with their search for work.

Report of the Participation Review Taskforce ( PDF 957KB | RTF 301KB)

Since 1 July 2010, the Government's 'More Flexible Participation Requirements for Parents' Budget Measure has helped parents to better balance their family and caring responsibilities with their participation requirements, by introducing the following.

More flexible activities for parents:

• Principal carers can meet their participation requirements through any combination of part-time study, paid work and in some circumstances approved voluntary work. 
• Principal carers wanting to start their own business can participate in the New Enterprise Initiative Scheme (NEIS) training on a part-time basis.
• Employed principal carers have more flexible arrangements over the long summer school holiday period during an employer initiated shutdown.
• All principal carers are not required to meet their participation requirements during the fortnight that includes the Christmas Day public holiday.

New and extended exemptions for parents and carers:

• Extension of existing 12 month exemptions to include eligible families with older children 16 to 18 years of age who are completing their secondary school education. These extensions will apply to:
• large families with four or more children;
• families who home school; and
• families with children in distance education.
  
• Liberalising eligibility for the 16 week domestic violence exemption to include parents irrespective of their relationship status.
• Recognising the role of respite and emergency foster carers through a new exemption that remains in place for the period of time a child is in the person's care and for an extended period of up to 12 weeks between foster care placements.
• Recognising the role of kinship carers through a new exemption for those who have the care of a child under a State or Territory case plan.
  

For more information about the changes to participation requirements and exemptions for parents please contact Centrelink or call 13 61 50.