Documenting Child Support information 277-01030000

Issue

Customer contact in Communication window

Additional Cuba windows

Application for Assessment (AFA)

Y

Record AFA decision in the Case window.

Application for Collection (AFC)

Y

Record AFC decision in Case window.

Note: FDV Interaction point, do not place FDV related discussion in the Case window.

Change in care notification

Y

• Pend the Care details in the Care window
• Record the care macros in a notepad in the Care window
• Record the care decision macro in the Case window

Customer Incident Reporting Tool (CIRT)

Y

• Complete the CIRT
• Record security incident in the customer Client Profile window
• For more details, see Process page > Item 8

COA Discussion

Y

Use the COA discussion macro.

Complaints

Y

Record the complaints handling macro in the Feedback and Review window.

Compliments

Y

Choose the following fields in the Communication window:

• Type: how the compliment was received
• Reason: Provide Inform
• Category: Communication
• Issue: Select from:
• Compliment Service Officer (compliment about a Service Officer)
• Compliment CSP (compliment about Child Support services)
• Compliment Prod (compliment about a product)

For more details, see Process page > Item 10.

Collection and Debt

Y

• Record the debt conversation in the Payer's Collection window
• If payment arrangement entered, record the payment arrangement in Payment Arrangement Customer window

Enforcement Action

N

Record all enforcement action taken Payer's Collection window.

Gathering collection information from a payee

Y

Record the Collection and debt > Gather collection Information macro in the Payer's Collection window.

Do not place any FDV related discussion with the payee in the Payer’s Collection window.

Estimate

Y

• Record details of the estimate in the Estimate window
• Record the estimate documentation macro in the Notepad in the Estimate window
• When recording the inbound/outbound contact in the Communication window, choose appropriate category fields e.g:
• ‘Assessment – Estimate’
• ‘Assessment- Income Used’

FAR not to apply application

Y

• Key and record details of the application in Child Support Period function in the Case window
• Record the decision in the notepad in Case window

Gifting

Y

• Key details in Manage Gift and Overpayment in the Case window
• Record the decision in a notepad in Refund window

Hardship application

Y

• Record the Financial hardship macro in the Payer Collection window
• Enter the hardship discussion as Level 1- payer contact in the Collection window
• Enter the hardship decision as Level 1- Information Gathering in the Payer's Collection window

Minimum annual rate to nil (MAR)

Y

• Key and record details of the application in Child Support Period function in the Case window
• Record the decision in the notepad in this function window

Non-agency Payments (NAPs)

Y

• Enter details in NAP window
• Record the Non-agency macro, any subsequent contact attempts , evidence, and the NAP decision in additional notepads in the NAP window

Objection

Y

Select relevant reason/category/issue in the Communication window. E.g. Objection- Assessment – care.

Reconciliation / End

Y

• Key dates in Service Option in the Case window
• Record the Reconciliation/Suspend/End decision in a notepad in the Case window
• Select relevant Category/issue dialogue boxes in Communication window when recording the customer contact. E.g. Assessment – End

Note: FDV Interaction point, do not document FDV details in the Case window.

Refunds

Y

• Key the refund in Refund Details
• Record the Gifts and Refunds - excess cash management macro in the
• notepad in the Refund window, and
• the Refund Details notepad

Transferring calls to specialist areas

Y

• Complete PORO
• Complete the Call management macro
• Document the reason for call transfer and area transferred to

Service Officer do not need to complete PORO for customers locked in Personalised Services.

See the Customer Referral Guidelines (CRG) - Child Support for help on when and to transferring customer.

Item

Example

1

Documentation example

Susan Hodges (payee) called to end the child support assessment Susan is a party to. I asked Susan should Paul Jones (payer) pay the child support directly to Susan instead of to Services Australia.

Susan advised the request was to end the child support assessment. The child Steve is now 17 and has an apprenticeship. Susan said 'I have decided I no longer want to receive child support from Paul Jones.' I asked Susan about being in receipt of Family Tax Benefit. Susan advised she is not receiving payments from Centrelink. I checked the Benefits window and Susan is not receiving FTB.

The date Susan wanted the assessment to end - Susan advised from today.

Discussion with payee

I explained to Susan that:

• recording the end date as today, would end the assessment tomorrow
• Paul is required to pay the child support owing for this month up to the end date of the assessment

Susan requested the Services Australia collect this amount. I explained all other payments are up to date (neither parent has a default income).

I told Susan she can make another application for child support up until Steve turns 18. I explained I would contact Paul Jones to advise the case is ending.

Discussion with payer

I called Paul (payer) and asked if it was a convenient time to talk. Paul was on a work break and could take the call. I explained to Paul that Susan Hodges (payee) had elected to end the child support assessment. Paul reported Susan had said this on the weekend when Paul picked up Steve. I advised Paul to pay $176.19, being the child support liability from the first of this month to the end date. This amount will be due and payable on the 7th of next month. Paul said payment would be made via EW as this is how the child support is currently paid.

Finalisation

I checked the Ending Assessments and noted at section 6.1 that I should not end the employer link.

In accordance with the Ending Assessments procedure I have checked the case and there are no outstanding issues.

I have made the decision to end the assessment. Susan Hodges (payee) made an election to end the child support assessment and is not in receipt of FTB. Therefore, I have ended the assessment in accordance with section 151 of the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989.

Bill

Mainstream Services

APS4

2

Decision document:

Application for collection (AFC) accepted.

-AFC interview completed with Payee Mary on 17/03/2025

-Unsuccessful call attempt made to Payer John on 19/03/2025

-AFC letter issued to John on 19/03/2025 with no response by due date, 10/04/2025

I am making the decision to accept the AFC as this is a first time application for collection and contact with John has been unsuccessful.

Legislative references:

Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988

- section 25, Application for registration of a registrable maintenance liability

Bill

Mainstream Services

APS4

Item

Description

1

Gathering information

Use prompts to help get details for real time documentation.

'You were saying that Deb, the payee is employed, do you know the name of the employer? How do I spell that?'

'So that I record all details, let's step through this slowly'.

2

Phrases for placing customer on hold

'Do you mind holding for a moment while I make sure that I have this conversation fully documented?'

'I need to put all of this on record so that the next time you call, the Service Officer will know exactly what has been spoken about, would you mind holding for a moment?'

'Do you mind holding while I organise the Change of Assessment application for you?' Use this time to address an envelope and record the information.

'Do you mind holding while I update the child support assessment to add your child Michelle as your relevant dependent?'

3

Documenting hints

Do not use 'Advised Jack', 'Jack advised', 'Jack stated' at the start of each dot point. Key this at the top and list dot points underneath.

Keep a blank Word document open to key into. Start keying while the customer is talking and later cut and paste the information after answering the customer's queries. If a macro is available, use it to record the customer discussion.

Manage and direct the call. If gathering information from the customer and they raise new issues, acknowledge the issue. Note it down and advise the customer that this can be discussed once the previous issue has been documented.

If the customer is speaking quickly when supplying information, ask them to slow down. This will allow the Service Officer to record the information in real time.

Notepad screens have:

• a spell check functionality which can occur prior to saving the notepad, see the Notes window help
• pend functionality, see Table 2 in Documentation Cuba Process Help