Both contenders for the federal Labor leadership have indicated it was a mistake for the party to cut the level of welfare support for single parents.

In a bid to help return the budget to surplus, the Gillard government changed the eligibility criteria for the single parenting payment, resulting in many people moving to the lower unemployment benefit instead.

Former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese, who is contesting the leadership against Bill Shorten, this morning described that decision as a mistake.

Mr Albanese told the ABC's Insider's program that Labor needed to defend its legacy but also acknowledge its errors.

"Sole parent payments is an area where we made a mistake," he said.

"(It) essentially meant that some of the most vulnerable people ended up with less income.

"But perhaps just as importantly to them, to those that I've spoken to, there was a lack of respect, I think, for the role that they play."

Mr Shorten, the former education minister, says single parents struggle to make ends meet and that needs to be recognised by Labor's policy.

"We need to revisit our policies to do with sole parents," he told party supporters at Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

"We need to actually say that if you are a sole parent, raising your kids, making sure that you can work and develop income, we need to make it unambiguous that Labor is in your corner.

"We respect you, we support you, we cherish you."

Candidates to hold three debates

The leadership contest between Mr Albanese and Mr Shorten will be decided by a Caucus vote as well as a nationwide ballot of party members.

Mr Albanese says there will be at least three debates between the candidates.

He says he and Mr Shorten share similar values.

"I do think we need to talk about policy development - there'll be debates this week," Mr Albanese said.

"There'll be three at least in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth over the coming eight days.

"And out of that, I'm sure there'll be some differences of emphasis arise."