Written answers

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Department of Social Protection

After-School Support Services

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

124. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify for those who come off lone parents allowance early and therefore cannot avail of jobseeker's transition due to employment but still struggle with the costs of childcare, the reason they cannot avail of the pilot after school childcare supports as part of the jobseeker's transition and the reason more childcare supports are not in place for lone parents already engaging in labour activation but are living with existing family requirements such as increased childcare costs during the summer months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28312/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme aim to provide the necessary supports to lone parents to help them to escape poverty and social exclusion. I believe that supporting lone parents to participate in education, training, and the workforce, once their children have reached an appropriate age, will improve both their own and their families' economic and social circumstances.As a result of these reforms, once an OFP recipient’s youngest child reaches the relevant age threshold, they will no longer be entitled to the OFP payment. These changes will be gradually phased in during the period between July 2013 and 2015. Once a customer is no longer entitled to the OFP payment and if they still have an income support need, they can apply for another social welfare payment. Individuals working 19 hours or more each week may be entitled to apply for FIS or to have their existing FIS claim re-rated as appropriate. It is expected, however, that the majority of individuals will apply for the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) scheme.

Some of these former OFP recipients will still have caring responsibilities for young children and, as such, may not be able to meet all of the conditionality provisions that apply to the JA scheme – which requires all JA recipients to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work.

That is why I have in the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013, included legislative provisions to introduce transitional arrangements into the JA scheme. These arrangements will assist former OFP customers who’s youngest child is under 14, make the transition to JA. These customers will be exempt from the JA conditionality that requires them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work, until their youngest child reaches the age of 14 years. In addition, these individuals will not have to satisfy the JA rule, which requires an individual to be unemployed for at least 4 out of any 7 consecutive days. This means that lone parents under the JA transitional arrangements will be able to work a few hours each day subject to them satisfying the JA means test.

The legislative amendments I am proposing to the JA scheme take account of the caring responsibilities of lone parents with young children. They also enable lone parents with young children who are working part-time – for example, mornings only – to remain in work and to receive income and activation supports as appropriate.

The availability of these JA transitional arrangements to lone parents reduces the need for childcare support. However, if a lone parent in this situation wishes to avail of an employment opportunity or engage on a Community Employment scheme, they are eligible to apply for the Subsidised After-school Child Care scheme. This scheme is available to JA customers who were former OFP recipients, who avail of an employment opportunity and who have children of primary school age (i.e. 4 to 13 years). The scheme is designed to provide subsidised afterschool childcare during the school term and full time childcare provision during school holidays.

In addition to this scheme there are other child care supports available from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (D/CYA). The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, funds some 1,000 community-based non-profit child care facilities nationwide to enable them to charge reduced child care fees to disadvantaged and low-income families who avail of their services. The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) scheme provides subsidised childcare places for parents who engage in eligible education and training programmes.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.