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Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers 101-23041750



This document outlines the services provided by Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers in Services Australia.

On this page:

Referring customers to Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers

Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers - managing customer contact

Referring customers to Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers

Table 1: this table describes the process for all Service Officers to identify an appropriate transfer to an Adviser.

Step

Action

1

Assess and refer to Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser line + Read more ...

Advisers help all non-parent carers, regardless of whether they are getting payments or services from the agency.

Staff can refer:

  • non-parent carers who have ongoing care for children
  • community service providers who want information about payments, services and referrals for non-parent carers

Note: do not refer non-complex activities such as updating details and babysitting enquiries.

Does the customer meet the above criteria?

  • Yes, refer the customer to Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers by:
    • transferring the call, or
    • telling the customer the Grandparent, Foster, and Kinship Carer Adviser Line
  • No, refer the customer to a more appropriate service offer such as their usual payment line. Procedure ends here.

Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers - managing customer contact

Table 2: this table describes how Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers manage customer contact, including referrals from Service Officers in smart centres and service centres. This process is for Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers only.

Step

Action

1

Authenticate the customer + Read more ...

Ask the customer if they have a Customer Reference Number (CRN).

If the customer provides their CRN, make sure the person is the owner of the record or their authorised nominee. See Authenticating a Centrelink customer.

If the customer does not have a CRN, see Searching for a customer on the system.

Adding a customer to the system

If an exhaustive search has not identified the customer's Centrelink customer record, add a record for the customer by selecting Create CRN. See Adding a customer to the system.

Note: without authority to access a customer's record only general information can be provided.

2

Identify reason for contact + Read more ...

If the enquiry is complex or outside the scope of the Adviser's duties, transfer the call unannounced to a Service Officer in the relevant queue.

If a caller tries to access a queue by calling a different business line, give them the appropriate number and quickly finalise the call by politely thanking them for calling.

Is the call appropriate for the Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers?

  • Yes, go to Step 3
  • No, it’s outside the scope of an Adviser’s duties or complex in nature

3

Identify customer vulnerabilities + Read more ...

Customers experiencing vulnerability may need intensive support.

If the customer has disclosed suicidal distress or is at risk of self-harm see Customers talking about suicide or self-harm.

Is the customer (whether on income support or not) experiencing difficult circumstances, and needing additional support?

4

Refer customer for specialist support + Read more ...

4

Finalise the contact + Read more ...

Advisers must:

  • create a Fast Note for every contact received
  • use keyword #GADNT# in all Fast Notes

Was the call transferred to a specialist officer, the customer’s main business line or an external provider?

  • Yes,
    • Use Fast Note - Select Auto Text, use Generic > Enquiry > Call Transfer
    • Include details of the enquiry including why the call was transferred, and to which specialist officer, main business line or external provider
    • Add keyword #GADNT# and if applicable, #INTREF#, #EXTREF# and #KIN#
    • See Resources for details of keywords
  • No,
    • Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use GFKCA (Grandparent, Foster, and Kinship) > Enquiry > Grandparent, Foster, and Kinship
    • Include details of the enquiry, information provided and if further information or documentation was requested
    • Add the keyword #KIN# if applicable
    • See Resources for details of keywords

Procedure ends here.