Challenges faced by parents 102-17010040

It is important to help customers to recognise that overcoming each challenge is a milestone or personal achievement. It needs to be recognised that for some customers, achieving participation is a long term challenge and it is not anticipated that all customers would overcome their challenges immediately.

As part of the First Contact Service Offer (FCSO) workflow, a customer's job readiness and capability to look for and accept work will be determined. This will result in an appropriate job readiness pathway being identified for the job seeker. This may include an appointment with a Service Officer or specialist officer (for example, social worker).

During the interview, the Service Officer will build a holistic picture of the customer's individual and family circumstances, and assist the customer to set participation focused goals and identify challenges to achieving these goals. The challenges identified will determine the type of interactions required and solutions brokered. All progress made toward work outcomes, including personal and skill development, training and volunteering will be recognised at subsequent service update contacts.

Examples of challenges that may be faced by parents include:

• cultural issues impacting on participation options available
• family and domestic violence
• partner's attitude to customer participating
• impact of participation on time spent with the children
• child care issues (especially for older children)
• workforce disincentives

When the customer has employment income:

• If under Age Pension age - Working Credits may enable the customer to keep some of their income support payment while they are working
• If over Age Pension age and in receipt of a pension (excluding Parenting Payment Single (PPS)) they may be entitled to the Work Bonus. Note: the Work Bonus is not used in the customer's transitional rules calculation, however the Work Bonus will still be used in the comparison calculations and partners may still benefit by the reduction in total income
• If the customer's income reduces their fortnightly rate to nil and some of that income is employment income, the customer's payment may remain current at nil rate for up to 12 fortnights and are able to maintain certain benefits during the employment income nil rate period
• Resume payments within the employment income nil rate period without the need to reclaim if income decreases