Home educating and Centrelink benefits

The following information if provided as a starting place for those home educating families affected by changes to Centrelink benefit provisions. It is of a general nature only and is not intended as personal or professional advice.

Please be aware that this information may be out of date: please check details using other sources. Many home educating families are affected by the changes to Parenting Payment made in July 2006 that require recipients to undertake an activity test in order to qualify for benefits once the youngest child has turned seven. The activity test requires parents to register with an employment service provider and look for paid work of at least 15 hours per week. The 15 hours can be employment, or a combination of other options, which are: study (core hours); approved volunteering; and self employment (must be paid at least the minimum wage). For example: A parent could work 8 hours a week, and study an additional 7 core hours. Registered home educators are exempted from this requirement (see below links to the relevant sections of the Social Security Act). As Centrelink's exemption for homeschoolers specifically mentions registration it is advisable for home educating parents receiving benefits to look into the home education registration process in their state. See Registration as Home Educators in Australia. During the Centrelink interview you will need to provide evidence of registration. If you are applying for registration as home educators take along any letters to show that you are in the process of obtaining registration. Centrelink usually organise activity test participation interviews several weeks before the youngest child's seventh birthday. The letter should confirm an appointment with the relevant educational authority in your state. You can also give Centrelink the contact details of the person or office overseeing your application for registration as a home educator. Most Centrelink staff are unfamiliar with the concept of home education. HEA is happy to send you some information flyers that you can take to your interview to give to Centrelink staff. This would help demonstrate that home education is a widely practiced and accepted alternative to school based education. It is normal Centrelink practice to inform you of any documents you need to provide and to allow you time to supply them if you don't have them by the time of the appointment. They will give you a list of what you need to provide, and a date by which you will need to provide it. It may also help to download, print and take the following Centrelink fact sheet with you, as it points out that registered homeschoolers are exempt: Changes to Parenting Payment According to one homeschooler, the most common approach is to put parents on an agreement which means you have to submit a form every 3 months to let them know you are still homeschooling, but you should not have to do any "activity" in the way of work, volunteer work or training. The following links provide further definitions and information. 3.2.11.60 Activity Test for NSA/YA Job Seekers - Exemptions - Principal Carer Parents with Special Family Circumstances - Automatic Exemptionshref http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/guides_acts/ssg/ssguide-3/ssguide-3.2/ssguide-3.2.11/ssguide-3.2.11.60.html Definition of Home Education http://www.facsia.gov.au/guides_acts/sslaw/ssa/2110d390/764e8d44/26291d26.html 5C. Home educators 5C. A person is a home educator of a child if the Secretary is satisfied that: (a) the child is receiving, in the person's home, education that wholly or substantially replaces the education that the child would otherwise receive by attending a school; and (b) the person meets the requirements (if any) of the law of the State or Territory in which the person resides that the person must meet in order to be permitted, under the law of that State or Territory, to provide that education to the child; and (c) the person is suitably involved in providing and supervising that education.

Author: Beverley Paine