Teen mum school bid ‘back to Dark Ages’

The Federal Government’s move to force teenage mothers in Kwinana receiving parenting payments to finish their schooling or enrol in vocational training as outlined in this year’s Budget has met with mixed reactions.

Rae Harvey, 24, of Port Kennedy, who runs Kwinana Young Parents Rock said the scheme was a ‘‘mandatory and dark ages approach’’ to dealing with teenage mothers who already faced plenty of stigma.

MrsHarvey said programs offering information and support while encouraging education and training were more likely to succeed.

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said the council welcomed any positive programs that helped reduce youth unemployment.

However, Cr Adams said her one immediate concern was ‘‘one size does not fit all’’ and teenage parents all had individual circumstances.

Brand MHR Gary Gray welcomed the move and said the Gillard Government wanted to tackle the challenge of intergenerational welfare dependence.

Mr Gray said Kwinana would receive extra funding to provide new services, opportunities and responsibilities to jobless families and teenage parents in the area.

In return, participants would be required to develop their skills and education and make sure their children got a good start in life.

State Community Services Minister Robyn McSweeney said the plan to trial a suspension of Centrelink’s parenting payment for teenage parents not attending school after the birth of their child could cut parenting payments to more than 11,000 teenage parents across the country.

Ms McSweeney said it was good for teenage parents to continue their studies or training but threatening to take away their financial support was not the way to do it and could put a baby in a potential situation of neglect.

‘‘Many of these teenage parents are not supported by a partner and rely on welfare payments to raise their young baby when support from their own families may not be there,’’ she said.

The new scheme is expected to start on January 1, 2012.