Lone parents, as a group, are not being excluded from the community employment programme. Following the recent restructuring of CE, the age limit for general eligibility was increased from 21 to 25. This change was necessary to better target available places at the most disadvantaged of the long-term unemployed. Lone parents under the age of 25 can still qualify for participation in CE if they are members of any of the following groups which are exempt from the recent changes to the programme travellers, ex-offenders, refugees, people with disabilities, people referred under the drugs task force, offshore island inhabitants and 18-24 year olds, referred through EAP, who are 18 months or more unemployed.