There is some financial support and services available to single parents who are home educating.
Important: Centrelink rules and eligibility requirements change from time to time. Always check the official Services Australia website or contact Centrelink directly for the most up-to-date information.
You may be eligible for:
When your youngest child turns six years old you will be required to meet Mutual Obligation Requirements. For the average parent this means looking for work, working, volunteering or studying for a specific number of hours and reporting these activities each fortnight.
Home education is a valid exemption from the Mutual Obligation Requirements. To have the exemption approved, parents must upload the registration confirmation to their My Gov account. They should call Centrelink to notify them this has occurred and request the Homeschooling Exemption be applied. Centrelink will then assess the evidence to determine eligibility for the exemption.
Some Centrelink staff are unaware this exemption category exists, so please print the information from the Services Australia website if you are having any difficulties. Despite the exemption you will still need to “report” each fortnight.
Payments are calculated for 12 months from the date of application. You then need to supply updated registration evidence each year using the same process.
A voluntary support service for eligible parents and carers of children under six. Parent Pathways is free and can help you meet your personal, study or work goals. You can work with a qualified mentor to choose from a range of support options.
The service offers:
See Home Ed, Centrelink and Kids Aged 16+
