South-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:51): My question is to the Minister for Education, and I ask: Minister, can you advise whether additional funding beyond this year will be provided to the young parents education program, YPEP? There is an enormous need for the program to continue in the south-east, particularly since more than 50 referrals of young mothers from April to October this year wanting to continue their education have had to be turned away since August this year. The YPEP is the only one in the country alongside the young mother’s transition program, YMTP, which provides education and mentoring support to young mothers under 22 years of age who want to continue their education and build a life for themselves and their children. The funding of YPEP runs out this year, and it would be totally unfair to our young women to let this most important and beneficial program become redundant when there is such a big uptake for its services.