News and Updates

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FREE winter school holiday fun!

When the winter school holidays roll around, it can be tricky to keep the kids busy without blowing the budget. Happily, Victoria is full of free, family-friendly activities that are perfect for colder days - you just need to know where to look. Here's a guide to...

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Social security investigation expanded

You might remember that back in February we shared the news that the Ombudsman had announced it would investigate the Targeted Compliance Framework.  The announcement came on the heels of the revelation that every three months, one in three working age...

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Some good news on the wages front

This month, single mothers on the minimum wage will get a pay rise, and those doing practical placements as part of their studies will soon start to receive compensation. These changes follow long and committed campaigns by CSMC and other advocacy organisations -...

News

Is the deficit discourse on sole mothers shifting?

Some of you would have heard of Emily Wolfinger, a fabulous academic and single mother, who writes powerfully about single mothers. Emily has contributed a chapter to the newly released book ‘Gone Feral: Unruly Women and the Undoing of Normative Femininity’, where...

Child Support, News

FREE child support webinar

Join CSMC and Victoria Legal Aid for a webinar that answers your most commonly asked questions about child support. This webinar will provide legal information on how the system is structured, what you can do when it is not working for you, and where to get more...

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Bloom: Bendigo

The details Program dates: Feb 10 - April 4, 2025 Duration: 8 weeks, just 2-3 hours per week Online sessions: Fortnightly individual online coaching. Email, phone and referral support provided where required Women’s Wellbeing Day : (Venue to be announced) A...

Home Pathways

Private rental

This is possibly not your first time trying to rent privately, but if you have not been having much luck, follow these tips from single mothers and see if you can improve your chances.

Home Pathways

Share Housing

Share housing is choosing to live in a shared space with others, such as other single mothers who understand the highs and lows of raising children. It’s a way to combine affordability with a sense of community.

Home Pathways

Emergency Housing

Homelessness is not just sleeping rough or in your car. It can include facing eviction because you don’t have money for rent, couch surfing, living in a tent or more.

Home Ownership

Co-ownership Models

Buying a property with trusted family members, friends, or other single mothers can reduce costs and ease the financial burden. A co-ownership agreement legally outlines ownership shares, responsibilities, and exit strategies.

Home Ownership

Cohousing

Cohousing Australia champions a collaborative housing model where residents share resources, responsibilities, and communal spaces. It’s designed to foster connection, affordability, and sustainability while maintaining private living quarters.

Home Ownership

Rent to Buy

Rent-to-buy is a flexible housing model designed to help individuals who might struggle to enter the property market through traditional means, such as saving for a large deposit or meeting strict borrowing criteria.

Home Ownership

Less Usual Pathways

Explore housing co-ops, a less usual pathway to home ownership in Australia. Member-run, they offer affordable living, government or private funding, and span the country while encouraging active community participation.

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The Sandwich Generation

Why so many of us are feeling 'squished' and what to do about it For many of us single mums, the 'juggle' used to be managing full-time caring parenting with full-time paid employment. Maintaining two full-time roles took energy, time, and emotional resources. Then...

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How to #FriendBetter

The support of good friends is priceless for women as some of us are lucky enough to know. Research backs this up. However, research also shows that chronic stress and lack of time to make or maintain friendships, get in the way of both friendships and good health....

Advocacy, News

Tell the Government that VARTA must stay

Single mothers who have created their families using donor sperm know that donor linking brings with it a multitude of potential issues and considerations. Now, the Victorian Government has announced that the authority that supports families through the process...

News

Youth advocacy focus group participation

Callout for focus group participants Seeking young people aged 15 - 22 who are growing up or have lived in a single mother household Attendance at one focus group session around 2 hours long Participants with be paid $50 per hour for their time Must be available to...

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Bloom – Northern Metro

There are a few places left in our Bloom Careers, Work and Wellbeing program for the Northern Metro area - but they are filling fast! Bloom is an eight week online mentoring program to help you define your career, work or training needs in just a few hours per...

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Focus on renters

At the moment, housing is dominating so many discussions in the media, in Parliament, and around water coolers and school gates across the country. The fact is that CSMC has long advocated for single mother families on housing-related issues, most notably access to...

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CSMC Single Mother Wall of Honour

Thursday March 21 is International Single Parents Day, and to celebrate we're creating out own Wall of Honour to pay tribute to all the amazing single mothers we know and have known. It might be a friend, a relative, or even your own mum - but if you want to thank...

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What a launch!

It has taken significant resources of all kinds to undertake, analysis and launch this national survey of single mothers - the second we have delivered and the largest in Australia. 1168 single mothers invested their time to complete the survey, share their stories...

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Bloom Ballarat

Council of Single Mothers and their children is bringing their FREE careers, work and wellbeing guidance program to Ballarat. Enjoy one on one online sessions with an industry professional with lived experience of single motherhood Identify your skills and...

Centrelink

Centrelink and government payments

This is an overview of Centrelink payments to help single mothers start navigating the system. Services Australia through Centrelink, is responsible for administering income support and emergency payments on behalf of the Australian government. Income support...