The Federal Government has announced a $47 million initiative to assist teenage parents complete their high school education and ensure their children are ready for school.

 

As part of Building Australia’s Future Workforce, the Australian Government is investing $47 million over four years in the Helping Teenage Parents measure to help teenage parents in disadvantaged communities to overcome obstacles and work towards attaining a Year 12 or equivalent qualification. 

 

The initiative is also focused on activities designed to achieve good early health and education outcomes for the children of teenage parents.

 

As part of the initiative, the Federal Government will provide the following for young parents completing their studies:

 

  • access to quality child care while they are studying or training, with close to 100 per cent of their child care costs covered through the Jobs Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance program
  • individualised case management by Centrelink and service providers to help them enrol and attend school, TAFE or other training, and to give them access to education and employment services such as Youth Connections, Job Services Australia and Disability Employment Services
  • help with parenting responsibilities through playgroups, parenting education classes, mentoring and support groups, and early learning programs through Communities for Children services
  • guaranteed training places delivered through a national partnership with states and territories.

 

The Federal Government has sent up to 1,000 letters outlining the new measure, and inviting participants to an initial interview, will be sent to eligible participants in the 10 selected local government areas of:

  • Playford (SA)
  • Hume (Vic)
  • Shepparton (Vic)
  • Burnie (Tas)
  • Bankstown (NSW)
  • Wyong (NSW)
  • Shellharbour (NSW)
  • Rockhampton (Qld)
  • Logan (Qld)
  • Kwinana (WA)

 

The government has also a furtherd $263.3 million in funding under the Smarter Schools National Partnership program.

 

The announcement comes after School Education Minister Peter Garrett released the latest round of progress reports from the state and territory governments, outlining the achievements in the first six months of 2011.

 

The funding will be extended to over a quarter of all Australian schools (2,500) participating in the National Partnerships for Low Socio-economic Status School Communities and Literacy and Numeracy.

 

More information is here.