Work, study and caring responsibilities

Choose the next step that fits

Work or study may change your income, child-care needs and payments. Before committing, check course costs, travel, provider hours and how earnings will affect support. Ask Services Australia which reporting and study conditions apply to your payment.

Parenting Payment and student payments are different pathways. A Pensioner Education Supplement may help recipients of specified payments with an approved course. Ask about your current payment and course before assuming you must transfer to a student payment.

• Check education supplement eligibility (external website)↗

Explore voluntary mentoring

Parent Pathways is free, voluntary support for eligible parents and carers of children younger than 6 who are not in paid work. Payment, alternative eligibility and provider-area conditions apply.

A mentor can help with goals, training, services and practical barriers. Some financial assistance may be available for agreed needs, but it is not an automatic cash grant. You may join, pause, leave or return without that choice affecting your payment. Other payment obligations still have their own rules.

• Find out about Parent Pathways (external website)↗

Request flexible work where eligible

Eligible employees caring for a school-age or younger child may request flexible working arrangements under national workplace rules. Employment-length and casual-work conditions apply. A request is not an automatic entitlement to the exact hours you choose.

Make the request in writing, explaining the change and reasons. The employer must respond within 21 days. Refusal has conditions, and the Fair Work Commission can help with unresolved disputes. Check which employment system covers you; some workers, particularly in Western Australia, need the state-system route.

• Check flexible-work rights (external website)↗

Ask about leave and payment commitments

Under national workplace rules, employees, including casuals, have 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year for qualifying needs that cannot practically be dealt with outside work. Notice, evidence and confidentiality rules apply. Discuss a safe contact method; confidentiality has legal and safety exceptions.

Principal carers receiving income support may have work-related obligations. Ask how suitable work, approved study, childcare access or an exemption applies. Seeking an exemption does not automatically suspend existing requirements.

• Keep written requests, responses and agency notices securely.
• Report employment income when required, including periods without earnings if instructed.
• Check child-care costs and subsidy conditions alongside your work or study plans.

• Check violence-leave protections (external website)↗
• Check principal-carer obligations (external website)↗

Your next step

Use the official links above, or find local services in your state.

Related guides

• Child-care costs and subsidies
• Parenting Payment and income support
• Report changes to payments and services
• Disability, caring and accessible support
• Help with safety and family violence