Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirements from 1 July 2018 007-18043001

From 1 July 2018, the Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirement is part of the assessment used to determine the rate of FTB Part A payable for a child.

A customer is required to meet HSFS requirements if during a financial year:

• they have received FTB Part A for a child who has turned 4, and
• they (or their partner) have received an income support payment (including nil rate periods) for at least one day

In limited circumstances, an exemption from HSFS requirements may be granted.

To meet HSFS requirements, the child must have an acceptable health check and the customer must notify the agency that this has taken place.

If HSFS requirements are not met before the child's fifth birthday, an FTB Part A rate reduction is applied to the maximum rate of FTB Part A that can be paid for that child.

The FTB Part A rate reduction due to HSFS will start on the child's fifth birthday and will continue for the number of days the customer and/or their partner received an income support payment (including nil rate periods) during the financial year the child turned 4 years of age.

HSFS requirements for financial years 2011-12 to 2017-18 are linked to payment of the FTB Part A Supplement.

Customers can notify that a health check has been completed (or request an exemption) from the date they are sent the initial notification letter up to the day before the child's fifth birthday.

If a customer contacts after the child's fifth birthday to advise that a health check was completed before the child's fifth birthday, they will need to advise the date the health check was completed and may be required to provide evidence. When this occurs the FTB Part A rate reduction due to HSFS will cease and the rate of FTB Part A during the reduction period will be reassessed. If the customer was underpaid FTB Part A during the reduction period, they may be entitled to FTB Part A arrears for this period.

If the health check was completed on or after the child’s fifth birthday and an extension has not previously been recorded, the customer has not met HSFS requirements. The customer’s FTB A rate reduction period will continue, and no arrears will be paid.

If special circumstances apply, a customer may be eligible for an extension to meet the health check requirements after the child's fifth birthday. Extensions can be granted up to no later than the day before the child's sixth birthday.

An acceptable health check is an assessment of the child's physical health and general well-being conducted by a recognised health professional. Customers are not generally required to provide evidence of the health check being completed if notification is received before the child's fifth birthday.

An acceptable health check can be completed from when the child turns 3 years of age.

There is a table on the Services Australia website which provides a guide for determining health check requirements in each state. A link to the website is on the Resources page.

For more information about the health check, customers should consult a health professional or health clinic.

HSFS requirements apply for each customer who shares the care of the child and has received FTB and an income support payment (customer or partner) during the financial year the child turned 4.

If one customer notifies that requirements have been met, this will meet the notification requirements for all of the carers.

For 2011-12 to 2017-18 financial years, see Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirements for financial years 2011-12 to 2017-18.

A Healthy Start for School (HSFS) automatic exemption may apply for the child if the criteria is met anytime during the financial year the child turns 4, up to the child's fifth birthday (or the extension period end date, if applicable). A manual exemption can only be granted before the child's fifth birthday or during an extension period.

A manual exemption can be granted if:

• the child turning 4 has a severe disability or medical condition and has already undergone a medical assessment appropriate to the child's needs by a recognised health professional
• no other customer or their partner is in receipt of Carer Payment (CP), Carer Allowance (CA) or a Health Care Card (HCC) specifically for this child, and
• the customer requests an exemption and lodges evidence (if required) on or before the child's fifth birthday (unless an extension is granted)

A special circumstance exemption may be granted if there are unusual and unexpected circumstances. These generally relate to the customer's circumstances rather than the child's. Requests must be considered on a case by case basis. A special circumstances exemption can only be granted before the child's fifth birthday and cannot be granted during an extension period.

The Resources page contains examples of the assessment of a customer's circumstances for special circumstances exemptions.

For 2011-12 to 2017-18 financial years, see Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirements for financial years 2011-12 to 2017-18.

A customer may be granted an extension of time to meet health check requirements due to special circumstances if there are unusual and unexpected circumstances that prevented the child from having the health check completed before their child's fifth birthday. Requests for an extension must be considered on a case by case basis. Extensions cannot be applied for until the child's fifth birthday.

The Resources page contains examples of the assessment of a customer's circumstances for extensions.

When an extension has been recorded the FTB Part A reduction due to HSFS will be in place during the extension period until the health check has been updated. If the customer notifies the child has met health check requirements before the end of the extension period, the FTB Part A rate reduction due to HSFS will cease and the rate of FTB Part A during the extension period will be reassessed. If the customer was underpaid FTB Part A during the extension period, they may be entitled to FTB Part A arrears for this period.

Customers can:

• advise the details online using the Update Healthy Start for School Review option online
• provide the information by:
• using the HSFS IVR service, or
• talking to a Service Officer by phone or in person

For children turning 4 on or after 1 July 2018, customers with HSFS requirements will receive letters and notifications during the financial year the HSFS child turns 4.

• An initial letter is sent in August (or when the customer later becomes impacted by HSFS due to a change in circumstance)
• If they have not yet met HSFS requirements, an SMS/email reminder is sent in early January of the financial year the child turns 4
• A reminder letter is sent in May of the financial year the child turns 4 if the customer has not yet met HSFS requirements
• An additional reminder letter is sent 8 weeks before the child's fifth birthday if the customer has not yet met HSFS requirements

For 2011-12 to 2017-18 financial years, see Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirements for financial years 2011-12 to 2017-18.

If a child turned 4 in the financial year and an income support payment (customer or partner) or FTB is retrospectively granted, the customer will be impacted by HSFS if the retrospective granting occurred before the relevant child's fifth birthday and the customer received notification of their HSFS requirements.

If the retrospective granting of the FTB and/or income support payment occurs after the child's fifth birthday, HSFS requirements do not apply.

HSFS requirements do not apply to FTB lump sum claims for financial years from 2018-19 onwards. If the customer has received FTB as instalments for part of the financial year, the instalment periods may be subject to a HSFS rate reduction.

See the Resources page for more information.

For children turning 4 on or after 1 July 2018, customers who want to apply for a formal review of HSFS must do so within 52 weeks for decisions about their rate of FTB Part A.

Favourable decisions are recorded using an override, which can only be coded by Families Override Contacts with ICT Security Portal access.

For 2011-12 to 2017-18 financial years, see Healthy Start for School (HSFS) requirements for financial years 2011-12 to 2017-18.

If a health professional (for example, practice nurse, doctor, registered Aboriginal health worker) contacts about health checks (for example, what checks are appropriate for the initiative), refer them to the Services Australia website. See the Resources page for a link.

Note: if the contact is made by a staff member from a Community Health Clinic, refer them to their local state or territory department.