Terminal illness reviews for Carer Payment (CP) child 009-08060090

For the purposes of CP (child), a terminal condition is where a child under 16 years has a terminal condition and is not expected to live more than 24 months.

If a medical practitioner has certified the child care receiver is terminally ill, they do not need to undergo the Disability Care Load Assessment (child) Determination (DCLAD) as they are granted CP automatically, provided they meet all other eligibility criteria.
CA (auto) is automatically payable for each child care receiver for the period for which the carer is paid CP (child) for that care receiver, where the carer is not already receiving CA (child) for the care receiver/s under the standard CA provisions. This means CA (auto) may be payable even if the standard provisions for CA (child) are not met. For instance, the condition is expected to last for at least 6 months but not 12 months, or the child is not a dependent child of the carer.

When a child care receiver turns 16 years of age they are considered an adult for social security purposes. Carers current on CP (child) and CA (auto) under the terminal illness criteria, will remain on CP and CA (auto) and can remain payable up until the day before the care receiver turns 18 years.

Eligible carers are sent an invitation letter when their care receiver turns 17 years and 9 months, inviting them to apply by the due date if they want their entitlement to be assessed under adult provisions. See Carer Payment (CP) and/or Carer Allowance (CA) Child to Adult Transfer (CTAT).

If the CTAT is not returned before the care receiver turns 18 years of age and CP is cancelled the carer will need to lodge a new claim, this can be completed online.

Child terminal illness reviews are generated 24 months after grant, and every 12 months thereafter. Reviews generated 24 and 36 months after grant will be assessed by a social worker from the Carer Specialist Assessment Team (CSAT). Reviews generated after 36 months from grant will be assessed by the Carer Processing Team (CD1).

Reviews appear as a Manual Follow-up (MFU) on the carer’s record. The MFU activity will remain on the carer's record until the review is completed. Carers receiving Carer Allowance (CA) as well as CP due to caring for a child with a terminal illness will also have CA reviewed at the same time.

Due to the sensitive nature of the review, CSAT will contact the carer by phone at the first (24 months after grant) and second review (36 months after grant). The initial contact with the carer is to determine whether the child's condition remains terminal or has changed. The contact at 36 months by CSAT is to obtain an update of circumstances in relation to the child’s medical condition and inform the carer of future reviews.

For the initial reviews at 24 and 36 months, CSAT will provide a recommendation to Carer Processing (CD1) if a review is required. The recommendation by CSAT is sent as a CSAT Assessment Finalised Fast Note with the keywords of ‘URGENT’ and ‘ACTCAR’ to CD1 for further action. Carer Processing will review the CSAT recommendation, investigate the record and make a determination as to whether a medical review is required or the review activity finalised with no further action.

When a child care receiver turns 16 years of age, they are considered an adult for social security purposes.

Carers current on CP (child) and CA (auto) under the terminal illness criteria, will remain on CP and CA (auto) until the day the care receiver turns 18 years.

When the carer receiver is 17 years and 9 months of age, the carer is sent an invitation letter to complete an online Carer Child to Adult Transfer (CTAT), which is used to assess eligibility for CP and/or CA adult.

Social workers provide information that contributes to decisions about qualification. They do not make the final decision regarding qualification. Information that a social worker can provide includes:

• whether the carer can and does, provide the care receiver with the constant care required
• the care receiver's personal care or supervision needs in the home
• the level of care or supervision actually being provided by the carer
• whether the carer has the physical and/or emotional capacity to deal with the care receiver's care needs
• clarifying ongoing diagnosis, treatment and/or prognosis

Information provided by a social worker can contribute to a decision about the review qualification, however, the delegate, not the social worker, must make the decision about qualification under terminal illness provisions.

In all instances, do not cancel payment(s) without contacting the carer and/or Treating Health Professional (THP).

Note: the delegate should update the carer's record to include the outcome/ recommendation of the social worker assessment.

A Treating Health Professional (THP) must complete the medical report. Contact and Provider number details must be included on the medical report for Services Australia's verification purposes. The name of the THP must be recorded on a DOC on the carer’s record, and include the contact and provider number details.