PARENT AID FOR REGION

TOWNSVILLE is a target in a plan to end welfare- driven nappy valley hot spots which will be unveiled by the Turnbull Government today.

Twenty intervention zones – including four in Queensland – will be revealed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in a bid to help end the cycle of teen pregnancy, youth unemployment and intergenerational welfare reliance.

Under the $ 263 million ParentsNext program to start in July next year, those on parenting payments in struggling regions will receive intensive one- on- one training, education, parenting courses and guidance to help them get a job.

Participation will be compulsory for eligible parents on the parenting payment in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and Toowoomba.

There will also be money in the program to help disadvantaged young parents pay for things they cannot afford, like a driving licence to get to work or cash for a uniform.

Mr Turnbull will be in Rockhampton today, which is among 10 sites that has trialled extra help for young parents.

He will outline details of the further 20 areas in Australia that will receive intensive help, plus another stream of assistance for disadvantaged parents in 51 sites.

About 68,000 young parents each year will receive the extra support to help get them into work.

“( The program) will connect more parents of young children with tailored support to improve their work readiness by the time their children start school,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“Helping more parents of young children into work will support more families, reduce welfare dependency and decrease child poverty.”

The latest statistics show that in 2014- 15, there were 4370 parents under 18 years across Australia receiving the parenting payment – and 77 per cent of them were single.