Participation Requirements for
Principal Carer Parents Advice
V 2.1
Disclaimer
This document is not a stand-alone document and does not contain the entirety of Job Services
Australia Providers' obligations. It should be read in conjunction with the Employment Services Deed
2012-2015 and any relevant guidelines or reference material issued by DEEWR under or in connection
with Employment Services Deed 2012-2015.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
Table of Contents
Background...............................................................................................................................................3
The definition of a Principal Carer Parent.................................................................................................3
When Principal Carer Parents have Participation Requirements ..............................................................3
Identifying Principal Carer Parents in the Employment Services System (ESS).........................................4
Recording Principal Carer Parents Participation in Activities....................................................................4
Recording activities in an Employment Pathway Plan (EPP) .....................................................................4
Recording activities in Activity Management ...........................................................................................4
Participation Requirements......................................................................................................................4
Participation with a provider ....................................................................................................................7
Summary of participation requirements for PCPs ....................................................................................8
Exemptions from participation requirements ..........................................................................................8
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents
Advice
Document Change History
Version
2.1
Start Date
01 Jan 2013
Effective Date
End Date
Change & Location
Policy: Updates made to reflect the changes to
parenting payments coming into effect 1
January 2013 (p3-10).
01 Jan 2013
2.0
18 Jun 10
18 Jun 10
31 Dec 12
1.0
06 May 09
06 May 09
18 Jun 10
Policy: Updates made to reflect the 'More
Flexible Participation Requirements for
Parents' 2009-2010 Budget Measure effective
from 1 July 2010 (p1-8).
Original version of document.
Background
The purpose of this document is to outline the participation requirements for Principal Carer Parents
(PCPs) and how these job seekers can satisfy their participation requirements. This document should
be read in conjunction with other reference material on the Participation and Engagement page of the
Provider Portal.
The definition of a Principal Carer Parent
A PCP is a person who is legally responsible for the day-to-day care, welfare and development of a
child under 16 years.
When Principal Carer Parents have Participation Requirements
PCPs may receive one of the following income support payments:
 Parenting Payment Single;
 Parenting Payment Partnered;
 Newstart Allowance;
 Youth Allowance; or
 Special Benefit.
To qualify for Parenting Payment (Partnered), partnered parents must have principal care of a
qualifying child under the age of six. To qualify for Parenting Payment (Single), single parents must
have principal care of a qualifying child under the age of eight.
If a parent requires income support once their youngest child has turned six years of age for partnered
parents or eight years of age for single parents, they may qualify for another income support
payment, for example Newstart Allowance.
Until their youngest qualifying child turns 16 years of age, principal carer parents may qualify for
Newstart Allowance.
All PCPs (including grandfathered recipients) on income support payments such as Parenting Payment
and Newstart Allowance are subject to part-time participation requirements once the youngest child in
their care turns six years old.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
PCPs are required to meet their part-time participation requirements by looking for work of at least 15
hours per week or by undertaking any combination of part-time work, study or voluntary work (in
limited circumstances) for 30 hours per fortnight. PCPs must meet their participation requirements to
continue to receive payment unless they have been granted an exemption.
Identifying Principal Carer Parents in the Employment Services System (ESS)
Providers are able to determine if a job seeker is a PCP recipient by referring to the Participation
Profile.
Recording Principal Carer Parents Participation in Activities
Job Services Australia (JSA) providers are required to record all of the activities a PCP agrees to
undertake in order to meet their participation requirements. This is a two part process for JSA
providers that commences with all activities being listed in a PCP’s Employment Pathway Plan (EPP).
Recording activities in an Employment Pathway Plan (EPP)
These activities should be recorded in the EPP to ensure compliance, as PCPs must comply with the
approved activities outlined in their EPP. In circumstances where a PCP is undertaking a combination
of activities, details for each activity should be entered separately in the EPP. Any job search and
provider appointments that a PCP is required to undertake or attend must also be entered into the
EPP. Further information on the EPP, including relevant codes, can be found in the Employment
Pathway Plan Sections and Activity Codes Advice document.
Recording activities in Activity Management
The second part of the process is then reflecting the chosen activities the PCP has agreed to undertake
by creating the activity placements within the Activity Management Component of the Employment
Services System (ESS). Recording the activity/ies placement/s within the ESS enables the provider to
keep an accurate record of actual participation in a PCP’s chosen activities, and equips the JSA
provider with additional job seeker management tools such as Expected to Start Noticeboard
messages to assist in monitoring their actual participation. Creating activity placements is essential as
it is used as the system triggers to have the Department of Human Services (DHS) assess PCP’s
eligibility for any additional supplement payments they may be entitled to receive.
Noticeboard messages alerting JSA Providers to expected end dates of participation are also triggered
as part of this process, and can be found when a PCP’s participation in activities is due to cease within
7 days. Upon a PCPs completion of participation, respective activity placements within the ESS will
need to be closed, reflecting the exit reason and actual end date, regardless of the activity type a PCP
is engaged in. This process is crucial as this triggers the cessation of supplement payments to job
seekers upon completion of their participation in the activities. Not accurately recording and
managing these activity placements may lead to either under or overpayments that may result in
debts being incurred for PCPs.
Participation Requirements
Meeting Participation Requirements
PCPs can satisfy their activity test or participation requirements by complying with approved activities
outlined in their EPP. All activities that a PCP participates in to meet their requirements MUST be
included in their EPP to ensure compliance.
PCPs can meet their participation requirements by undertaking at least 30 hours per fortnight of:
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
D13/489058




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paid work;
approved study/short course including any contact and non-contact study hours;
self-employment, where the income earned from self-employment is equivalent to, or above,
30 hours at the Federal Minimum Wage;
a combination of study and paid work including contact and non-contact study hours; and/or
approved voluntary work (where the PCP lives in a poor labour market, there are limited
training opportunities locally available and there is a significant vocational aspect to the
voluntary work).
Note: PCP Job seekers identified as Early School Leavers (ESLs) who are fully meeting their PCP
requirements through paid work or voluntary work or a combination of paid and voluntary work, are
encouraged but not required to undertake additional education and training in order to meet ESL
participation requirements.
Meeting requirements through Paid Work, Study or a combination of the two
PCP job seekers fully meeting requirements through approved study or paid employment or a
combination of the two are not required to look for work or engage or remain connected with an
employment services provider, although they can choose to volunteer for employment services
should they wish to do so.
Participation in Study
PCPs who commence study while they are in receipt of NSA, YA(o) and SpB are able to fully satisfy
their participation requirements if they undertake an approved Short Course for 30 hours per
fortnight (including contact and non-contact hours). An approved Short Course is generally defined as
a vocational course which is beneficial to a job seeker's prospects of seeking or obtaining
employment. Participation in Short Courses can only be approved for up to a maximum of 12 months.
If a PCP is participating with a provider, then only the provider is able to approve a Short Course.
Under these circumstances, the provider is responsible for including the course in the job seeker’s
EPP. While a PCP job seeker is participating in an approved Short Course of at least 30 hours per
fortnight, they are deemed to be fully meeting their requirements and may be eligible to exit from
employment services.
For information regarding PCPs who either commenced full-time study (30 hours per fortnight) while
receiving Parenting Payment, or who are still in receipt of Parenting Payment and wish to commence
study, please refer to the Short Course Participation Advice.
Hours of study
When calculating the amount of time a PCP spends studying, the total number of contact and noncontact study hours are combined. Confirmation of a PCP's contact hours for the purposes of study
requires checking the course outline produced by the educational institution.
In confirming a PCP's non-contact hours, providers should consider:
 the course outline;
 any assessable items that the person is required to complete in order to pass the course;
 any additional indications of the time required to complete the course provided by the course
educator;
 the PCP's previous education experience; and
 the PCP's personal situation.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
Suitable Work for Principal Carer Parents
In addition to the general factors which make a job unsuitable for all job seekers, providers should be
aware of the following when identifying a suitable job for a PCP:
 PCPs are not required to accept employment of more than 25 hours a week, although they
may choose do so;
 whether the parent has access to appropriate care and supervision for their child/children at
the times when the parent would be required to undertake the work;
 whether the location of either the workplace or the child care venue makes the total travel
time to work unreasonable; and
 whether the parent will be financially better off as a result of undertaking the work.
Where a job offer involves employment outside school hours or on school holidays, the job is
generally considered suitable (subject to other considerations described above). Parents should be
actively investigating child care options in their local area while job searching in case they are offered
work.
Information on unsuitable work can be found in the Guide to Social Security Law
(http://guidesacts.fahcsia.gov.au/guides_acts/ssg/ssguide-3/ssguide-3.2/ssguide-3.2.8/ssguide3.2.8.60.html)
Sufficient work test
A person will fully satisfy their activity test or participation requirements if they meet the ‘sufficient
work test’. That is, if:
 the total hours worked are at least the minimum number required for the person, AND
 the remuneration is at least the applicable hourly rate (usually the federal minimum wage)
multiplied by the minimum number of hours required for the person.
Principal carer parents on NSA or YA (other) are subject to the same sufficient work test as other NSA
and YA (other) recipients with the exception that PCPs are required to undertake at least 30 hours per
fortnight of appropriately remunerated work to satisfy the activity test. Where a principal carer parent
does not satisfy the sufficient work test, the person will generally be required to participate in one or a
combination of approved activities to make up the balance.
Where a PCP is undertaking one or a combination of approved activities such as suitable paid work,
approved study (where the total number of hours includes contact and non- contact hours) and in
some circumstances voluntary work of less than 30 hours per fortnight, they will need to undertake or
look for sufficient work of at least the number of hours required to make up the balance.
Voluntary Work
In some circumstances PCPs can meet their participation requirements by undertaking voluntary work
in an approved organisation, either by itself or in combination with study and/or paid work for a
combined total of 30 hours per fortnight.
PCPs can only undertake voluntary work if it is approved by a JSA provider, and providers can only
approve voluntary work if ALL of the following conditions are met:
 the PCP lives in a poor labour market area;
 there are limited training opportunities locally available; and
 there is a significant vocational aspect to the voluntary work.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
PCPs who are undertaking voluntary work to satisfy their participation requirements must remain
connected to a JSA provider. They will be required to accept any suitable paid work that fits around
any study, as outlined in their EPP, and is appropriate in respect of their caring responsibilities. This
requirement to accept employment and attend interviews MUST be included as an activity in the
PCP's EPP in order to ensure compliance.
Where a PCP is aged 55 years and over, they can satisfy their participation requirements through
undertaking voluntary work.
For more information on voluntary work placements, including information on a PCP’s Work
Experience Phase please refer to the Voluntary Work Advice.
Job Search
PCPs engaged in Job Services Australia (JSA), who are not meeting their requirements through paid
work, study or voluntary work, may be required to undertake job search and report their job search
efforts to DHS via their Claim for Payment (SU19) form. Job search contacts should not exceed six per
fortnight for PCPs, and job search must be included in their EPP as a compulsory activity. For more
information on job search requirements please refer to the Setting job search contacts reference
material.
Requirements during the Work Experience Phase
For information on activities for PCPs during the Work Experience Phase, please refer to the Work
Experience Phase page on the Provider Portal.
Participation rules for job seekers aged 55+ who are Principal Carer Parents on Newstart
Allowance or Parenting Payment
PCP job seekers aged 55+ who are participating in 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work
or a combination of 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary and paid work are required to
attend job interviews (as necessary) and accept increased hours up to 30 hours per fortnight of
suitable paid work if offered. Failure to attend job interviews and accept increased hours may result in
compliance action. Those undertaking 30 hours of paid work per fortnight are fully meeting their
requirements and have the choice to exit their employment services provider.
Participation with a provider
Where PCPs are not fully meeting their participation requirements through employment, study or a
combination of these activities, they must connect with a provider and undertake activities designed
to assist them into employment. Providers should schedule job seeker activities during school hours
(i.e. generally between 9am and 3pm during school terms), unless it is otherwise agreed by the
parent. PCPs are also not required to attend provider appointments during school holidays, however,
PCPs are required to engage with providers through alternate means, such as via telephone. PCPs may
volunteer for assistance should they wish to do so. PCPs are not required to meet their participation
requirements during the fortnight that includes the Christmas Day public holiday.
PCPs undertaking any amount of voluntary work in order to meet their participation requirements
must remain connected with their provider and attend provider appointments as required, attend job
interviews and accept any suitable offers of employment (unless in school holiday periods, as stated
above). Please refer to Voluntary Work Advice for situations in which voluntary work is appropriate for
PCPs.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013
Summary of participation requirements for PCPs
Paid work (30
hours per
fortnight)
Study (30 hours
per fortnight)
Combination
paid work and
study totaling 30
hours per
fortnight
30 hours per
fortnight of
voluntary work
Combination 30
hours per
fortnight of
voluntary work
and paid work
Combination 30
hours per
fortnight of
voluntary work
and study
Combination 30
hours per
fortnight of
voluntary work,
paid work and
study
Suspended in
Service
Required to look
for work
Required to
accept work
Required to
attend job
interviews
Yes
No
No
No
Required to
attend regular
provider
appointments
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No – (Yes for
Mature Age 55+)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes – (No for
Mature Age 55+)
No – (Yes for
Mature Age 55+)
No
Yes
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their paid work)
No
No
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study)
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study)
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their paid work
or if they are
Mature Age 55+)
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study)
No
No
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study)
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study or
paid work)
Yes – (No if it
conflicts with
their study or
paid work)
Exemptions from participation requirements
PCPs have access to a range of exemptions from their participation requirements in recognition of
their special circumstances. For example, a PCP may be granted an exemption if they are a foster
carer, have experienced domestic violence or are caring for a dependent child with a temporary illness
or injury. PCPs will not be subject to participation requirements while they have an exemption,
however they may volunteer for employment services should they wish to do so.
DHS is responsible for determining if a job seeker is eligible for an exemption. Providers can see if
someone has an exemption by viewing the participation profile screen in the ESS.
In situations where a Job Services Australia provider suspects any presence of domestic violence
they MUST refer the job seeker to DHS social work services.
Participation Requirements for Principal Carer Parents Advice
D13/489058
Effective Date: 1 January 2013