My Department recognises the positive outcomes reported for lone parents who participate in the New Futures Initiative.
My Department has two primary social welfare supports specifically designed to support lone parents. The One-Parent Family Payment is a means tested payment for lone parents whose youngest child is under seven, while the Jobseekers Transitional Payment is a special arrangement under the means tested Jobseekers’ Allowance for lone parents whose youngest child is between seven and 13 years old inclusive. Lone parents may also be eligible for other payments such as the Working Family Payment, Back to Work Family Dividend and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear scheme.
In addition to income supports, the Department’s employment services work with lone parents, taking their caring requirements into account, to provide information on their pathway to employment. Intreo provides access to educational and training opportunities, job opportunities and employment programmes that may be suitable depending on their individual circumstances. The approach aims to support lone parents by reducing long-term welfare dependency, and associated poverty, among this group by focusing on their access to education, training, and other employment supports. Access to these services and the supports available is designed to enhance the person's skills-set and job-readiness, thereby assisting with their transition into the workforce, and with their subsequent attainment of financial independence.
The supports that my Department offers are targeted at individual recipients of social welfare payments in the main with a focus on supporting an individual on their journey towards employment. My Department also provides contracted public employment services, which through the Intreo Partner contracts supplements the provision delivered through the Public Employment Service, Intreo. The Intreo Partner contracts are awarded following formal procurement processes and a published request for tenders. The current Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service providers receive referrals from my Department of lone parents who are in receipt of a Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.
