Receipt of claims, forms and documentation for family assistance 007-01040000

Thoroughly check all forms to ensure they have been completed correctly. Upon receipt, forms and documents must be fully scanned on site and, where appropriate, stored on site in scan batch. All original documents must be returned to the customer. If on-site scanning is unavailable, see Scanning Centrelink documents using an MFD.

If any pages are removed so that the first page contains a barcode, ensure that all pages are scanned and stored, including the back page.

Smart Centre staff who have received training in the last 12 months and who have processed or are proficient in processing Family Tax Benefit (FTB) claims may process these claims at first contact. Normal Records Management Unit (RMU) procedures apply.

Before accepting claim forms for Child Care Subsidy (CCS) or Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS), ensure all supporting evidence is lodged with the application. Claim responses will indicate what evidence is required. If evidence is not provided, advise the customer the claim will not be considered lodged until all required documentation is provided.

The FA081 is issued to parents by hospitals or midwives after the birth of a child. The back page of the form contains the Proof of Birth declaration signed by the doctor or midwife. It also contains a serial number that is recorded online by the customer and checked when processing the claim.

The FA081 is lodged by parents as proof of a child's birth to support a claim for family assistance and Paid Parental Leave scheme payments, and to enrol the child for Medicare. The FA081 is not a claim for payments. Customers must lodge a separate online or paper claim to receive payments for the child, unless they are FTB current for other children and only claiming FTB for a newborn child. In this case a fully completed FA081 can be used to reassess the FTB. Customers have various options to provide their child's proof of birth.

If the FA081 is lodged in person or by post, the customer will need to have lodged the entire completed form.

There is a range of documents other than the FA081 that customers can lodge to verify a child's name or to provide proof of birth.

These customers may also visit a service centre in relation to a previously lodged FA081 or Details of your child's care arrangements (FA012) for which a scanned image is available.

• If determination of care can be established, the customer is to be offered a transfer to Parenting Payment at first point of contact
• If a care determination cannot be made at point of contact, usual claim processes apply

This does not apply if the customer or their partner is not in receipt of income support.

If an obsolete form has been issued to a customer by the hospital it must be accepted. The customer will then be contacted to obtain any further information required.

A Team Leader or Service Support Officer (SSO) must then contact the hospital regarding FA081/FA008 supplies to discuss ordering a new supply of stock and to arrange urgent delivery, if appropriate.