The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) has said says that the changes proposed for lone parent payments in the Social Welfare Bill, currently going through the Dail, should not be introduced implemented until an inter-departmental group is established to investigate and report on how the necessary income supports, ,education, childcare, housing and other services to address poverty among lone parent families, can be introduced.
“Before a work requirement is introduced for lone parents, these issues should be tackled to ensure that the changes do not simply result in an increase in the working poor or in just moving lone parents from one social welfare payment to another”, the Society said in a statement today.
“The fact that the proposed changes will be phased in over time provides an opportunity to get it right for lone parents and their children. We need to see training courses which are tailored to the needs of the lone parent and to the labour market with clear opportunities for progression – and importantly – which will allow lone parents to manage their caring responsibilities at the same time as upskilling”.
“It is a positive ambition to support lone parents to enter good quality work, education and training. However, the introduction of a work requirement now is unfair as the necessary services to support lone parents in work, which will lift them out of poverty, are just not there”. The SVP acknowledges that it is not in anyone’s best interest for people to be dependent on long-term welfare payments. Band but it says, while that there are no easy solutions to this issue, l. “However, But looking at the One Parent Family Payment in isolation from other supports s, in particular education, training, housing, childcare and after school care, is of limited use.” the Society said in a statement today.
“Minister O’Cuiv has admitted that the provision of after school services for children and young teenagers is ‘patchy’ – however we have yet to hear of any concrete see what p plans are in place to address this serious inadequacy problem” says the Society.
“Before a work requirement is introduced for lone parents, these issues should be tackled to ensure that the changes do not simply result in an increase in the working poor or in just moving lone parents from one social welfare payment to another.
“Minister O’Cuiv has admitted that the provision of after school services for children and young teenagers is ‘patchy’ – however we have yet to hear of any concrete plans to address this serious inadequacy, ” says the Society.
“The availability of affordable, quality and accessible childcare and after school care for children under 13 as well as appropriate after school care for young teenagers is needed in order to facilitate full time employment among lone parents”.
“We know, from long experience, that having teenagers in a household is very expensive and the SVP is concerned that with the proposed changes these households might not would have an adequate income to cover the cost of of food and other other basic necessities”.
“Entering employment poses challenges for many parents: finding work with suitable hours, in the right location and with a sufficient income to cover the costs of childcare can often be very difficult – all the more so for lone parents who have to be both the main care-giver and main earner. However, we know that the majority of lone parents are in fact working in spite of these challenges, but unfortunately that the income from this work is often not enough to lift their family out of poverty”.
“The fact that the proposed changes will be phased in over time provides an opportunity to get it right for lone parents and their children. We need to see training courses which are tailored to the needs of the lone parent and to the labour market with clear opportunities for progression – and importantly – which will allow lone parents to manage their caring responsibilities at the same time as upskilling”.
To improve the educational prospects for lone parents the SVP says that the 3rd level Maintenance Grant should be payable with the Back to Education Allowance: this is currently not the case and would be important to help lone parents to access third level education.
“It is a positive thing to support lone parents to enter good quality work, education and training. However we do not agree with the introduction of a work requirement as the necessary services to support lone parents in work which will lift them out of poverty are just not there.
“The cost of childcare and the lack of availability of after school care means that lone parents will have to work around these issues, which again may limit their labour market options. We are also concerned about the high levels of poverty currently seen among lone parents when we know that the majority are working. We need to acknowledge that some lone parents are likely to be trapped in low paid/part time work due to their low levels of education and their caring responsibilities. Removing the entitlement to the One Parent Family Payment will not address these serious problems,” says the SVP.
For further information contact: Jim Walsh Tel: 087 2541700