Home schoolers win dole respite

EMPLOYMENT Minister Bill Shorten has assured single mothers who home school their children they will not be forced on to the dole

Vicki Steggall

EMPLOYMENT Minister Bill Shorten has intervened to assure single mothers on the parenting payment who home school their children that they will not be forced on to the dole next January like other single parents.

The government is hoping to save close to $700 million over four years by moving single mothers from the more generous parenting payment to Newstart when their child turns eight.

But, last night, home-schooling mothers were offered some hope after a spokesman for Mr Shorten said he would allow individual mothers to apply for a higher rate of welfare under certain circumstances. "Some parents on Newstart Allowance are eligible for a higher rate of Newstart Allowance that is equivalent to the rate of Parenting Payment Single," he said.

"Single principal-carer parents with large families who are foster carers, who are caring for a child with disability or who are home schooling or providing distance education are eligible to apply to access this higher rate."

The spokesman said in the case of home schooling parents would have to give prove to Centrelink and the higher rate would be paid. The relevant state and territory education departments handle the registration of home education.

Single mother Vicki Steggall has been home-schooling her daughter Tiana, now 10, since 2008, when after a series of bad bullying incidents she decided it was the only way to ensure her daughter felt safe while learning.

She has been surviving on the single-parenting payment, but is still worried she will lose $120 a fortnight because of a budget change that will force her on the dole in January.

Ms Steggall said she had not received any answers from Centrelink on what her situation would be after January.

The Home Education Association of Australia wrote to a Senate inquiry arguing it would make it impossible for many of these mothers to continue home schooling unless they were excluded from the change.

"We chose to home school after three years of bullying at her local school," Ms Steggall told The Australian.

"Money is tight on the pension, and it is not easy to provide for her on my own, however, we do manage."

HEAA president Guy Tebbutt told the Senate inquiry all families who chose to home educate their children bore total financial responsibility for their child's education.