CRS (Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service) Australia provides vocational rehabilitation within a case management model to people with a disability, injury or health condition to enable them to gain and retain employment. As a business unit of the Australian government, CRS Australia has a unique perspective regarding government's economic and social policy objectives, with the advantage of having direct knowledge and experience of the Centrelink beneficiaries affected.

One group of beneficiaries who have been identified as having significant and specific barriers affecting their ability to participate in and benefit from community welfare services are sole parents in receipt of parenting allowance. Literature reviews indicate lone mothers are more likely to lack formal education and work experience, have a substance abuse disorder, experience physical and mental health problems and have previously experienced physical and sexual abuse than partnered recipient or non recipient mothers.

This paper presents interim findings from two CRS Australia sites and compares models of intervention. The analysis compares models of service delivery within the context of vocational rehabilitation, in particular the benefit derived from social support. The paper examines the presence of poor mental health, disability, motivation, job readiness, work skills and socio-economic circumstances, and describes a potential service delivery approach to address these barriers.