Parent Pathways is an Australian Government-funded program, and Enterprise & Training Company (ETC) is one of the providers delivering it across South East Queensland, helping hundreds of parents and carers rebuild their confidence and find their way back to work or study. For many parents, raising children can reshape everything, including identity, social connections and the ability to prioritise personal wellbeing. Some parents feel uncertain about returning to work or study, while others simply need support to establish personal goals, build community connections or work out what their next step even looks like. Parent Pathways exists to meet parents wherever they're at, offering personalised support that works around real family life rather than asking families to work around it.
Read on to see what that support looks like in practice, and how to get involved. Available to parents and carers of children under six, find out if you're eligible for the Parent Pathways Program.
A support program built around real life
At the centre of Parent Pathways is the relationship between a participant and their ETC Mentor, and it's here that confidence-building for parents really starts to take shape. An ETC Mentor isn't there to hand someone a checklist and send them on their way. They take the time to understand a parent's situation, like the school pick-ups, the unpredictable weeks and the days where just getting everyone fed and out the door feels like an achievement in itself. And they're there whenever a parent actually needs them, not on a fixed schedule.
Parents don't need to have their future completely mapped out before reaching out either. Everyone is winging it to some degree! What an ETC Mentor offers is a steady, supportive presence to help each participant explore what matters to them, identify goals and build a flexible pathway that fits around their parenting and caring responsibilities, one manageable step at a time.
From there, an ETC Mentor might help a parent:
- Get clear on what direction genuinely interests them, whether that's a return to work, further study or something else entirely
- Build confidence back up gradually, through small wins rather than one big leap
- Navigate study or training options that fit around school hours or caring responsibilities, including nationally recognised training courses through ETC's Registered Training Organisation (RTO 6998).
- Connect with local services, playgroups and community support they didn't know existed, including ETC's Families & Community Connect event recently held in Redlands and Gold Coast.
- Understand what financial help might be available, including Centrelink payments and support.
- Put together a flexible, realistic pathway instead of a generic one-size-fits-all plan.
For a parent who hasn't worked or studied for a year, or several, that might mean starting with a single short course close to home. For another, it might be updating a resume that hasn't been touched since before kids, or simply having someone to talk through options with, without judgement. This is what personalised parent support looks like in practice: support for parents shaped around the person and their family.
Stronger parents, stronger households
The value of this kind of support reaches further than the individual. When a parent feels steadier and more confident, that stability often flows through to their children and household too, whether that's a calmer routine at home, more headspace for the things that matter, or simply a parent who feels more like themselves again. Strengthening a parent's personal and family wellbeing creates positive opportunities for the whole household, and often the wider community around them. A win for everyone!
Community support for families starts with connection
Confidence tends to grow through connection rather than in isolation, which is why family wellbeing support and community support for families sit right alongside the one-on-one mentoring in Parent Pathways. Finding confidence and direction is easier when parents don't have to do it alone, and meeting other parents who are navigating similar stages of life, even briefly, can do as much for someone's confidence as any formal goal-setting session.
Personalised employment support, whenever you're ready
If there's one thing worth taking from this, it's that there's no ideal moment to reach out to Parent Pathways. Support for parents returning to work doesn't come with a deadline - it's there whether you're newly navigating parenthood or years into it, certain of your next move or nowhere near it, and your goals are allowed to change as priorities shift and family life evolves.
If you're a parent or carer in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or the Somerset Region looking for flexible, low-pressure support, register your interest in Parent Pathways today. Or find your nearest ETC location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Parent Pathways free to join?
Yes, completely. Parent Pathways is a free, Australian Government-funded parent support program that ETC delivers to eligible parents and carers in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Somerset Region.
Is the Parent Pathways Program voluntary?
Joining Parent Pathways is always your choice, and your ETC Mentor is there to support you, not to check boxes or track compliance.
Can I pause or leave Parent Pathways without affecting my payments?
Yes, Parent Pathways is a voluntary, flexible program - you can pause or leave the program without it affecting your Centrelink payments, and you're welcome to rejoin whenever it suits your family.
Who is eligible to participate in Parent Pathways?
Parent Pathways is designed for parents and carers of children aged 0-6, including young parents, early school leavers and First Nations parents. If you're unsure whether you fit, it's worth reaching out, as this personalised parent support program covers more circumstances than people often expect.
Can I join Parent Pathways if I am not currently in paid employment?
Absolutely. Parent Pathways was designed with parents and carers who aren't currently in paid employment in mind, so this is often exactly where people start their journey toward confidence building and family wellbeing support.
Can I bring my child to appointments with an ETC Mentor?
Of course. Appointments are family-friendly, and an ETC Mentor understands that childcare isn't always available, so bringing your child along is completely fine.
Can Parent Pathways appointments be held in person, over the phone or online?
Yes, whichever suits you best. Appointments can be arranged in person, over the phone or online, so this parent support program fits around your life rather than the other way around.
Is Parent Pathways flexible around parenting and caring responsibilities?
Genuinely, yes. Flexibility around parenting and caring responsibilities sits at the heart of how Parent Pathways is delivered, and an ETC Mentor will always work around what's realistic for your family and its wellbeing.
