Care Load reviews for Carer Payment (CP) (child) 009-08060010

The purpose of carer reviews is to:

• establish that the care receiver's care needs continue to qualify the carer for payment
• establish that the carer continues to provide care and attention for CA or constant care for CP
• determine if there are any changes in the carer's and/or care receiver's circumstances

To be selected for Care Load Review, a carer must be paid Carer Payment for a mainstream care receiver under 14 years and 9 months of age. A Care Load Review will be conducted no more than once annually.

If the carer is also paid Carer Allowance for the child, this will be reviewed at the same time.

The care load reviews consist of the following profiles:

• profile 427 - Is considered to be 'high risk' based on the predictors of risk
• profile 428 - Is considered to be 'medium risk' based on the predictors of risk

Carers who transfer to Carer Payment 'long-term' after being paid Carer Payment for 'short term care' or 'episodic care' will be reviewed 6 months after they transfer.

At the initial contact, the following forms are issued to the carer:

• Review of Carer Payment and Carer Allowance - Care Needs Assessment for a child under 16 years - SA416, and
• Review of Carer Payment and Carer Allowance Medical Report (for a child under 16 years) - SA418

The carer has 21 days to complete the forms. If the carer fails to respond within 21 days a reminder letter is sent with no forms enclosed.

If the carer fails to respond to the reminder letter within 21 days (42 days in total) payments are suspended. If no further response is received within 13 weeks of suspension, payment will be cancelled.

Carers should be encouraged to return the Care Needs Assessment section of the review as soon as possible, as recording the return of the Care Needs Assessment will prevent the carers payment being suspended by removing the activity from FAL.

Note: Child Care Load reviews, service components 427, 428 and 430, are not able to be extended or deferred.

Care Load reviews do not apply to CP (XWP) - Carer Payment (CP) that is paid under grandfathering provisions for ceased Wife Pension carers. However, CP (XWP) carers are subject to child medical reviews and adult medical reviews for their CA care receivers.

If a CP (XWP) carer’s only or last payment level CA is suspended or cancelled or changed to CA HCC only, CP (XWP) will automatically be cancelled. A CP (XWP) carer loses qualification for CP (XWP) permanently if they have a break in payment level CA entitlement. For more information see Transfer from Wife Pension (WP) to Carer Payment (CP).

Carers receiving CA only and CA HCC only for a child or additional children will not be selected for Care Load Reviews. These carers will be reviewed under the Child Medical Reviews for Carer Allowance (CA) (child). For more information, see Carer Allowance (CA) (child) Health Care Card (HCC) only reviews.

The following Carer Payment (child) qualification types will have a Care Load review completed manually:

• combined care
• multiple care
• exchanged care

The following customer groups are exempt from this review:

• Carers currently getting CP (XWP)
• Carers paid Carer Payment and Carer Allowance for a child with a disability or medical condition on the List of Recognised Disability (LoRD) used to determine Carer Allowance eligibility
• Carers paid Carer Payment for a child care receiver assessed under the pre 1 July 2009 'Profoundly Disabled Child - severe medical condition' criteria (non-behavioural condition)
• Carers paid Carer Payment for a child care receiver assessed under Short Term or Episodic conditions
• Children with an assessed Care Load score of >+ 300 and THP score >= 4.00 and condition is 'relatively stable' or 'becoming worse over time'
• Carers granted Carer Payment and Carer Allowance within the previous 12 months for the child care receiver
• Carers who have had a Care Load or Age Milestone Mandatory review within the previous 12 months