Initial contact by customer claiming child support 277-50020000

Families and individuals who have the financial capacity to support themselves are generally expected to do so. Consistent with this principle is the notion that government support, including the payment of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is intended for those individuals and families who most need assistance. Moreover, there is an expectation that separated parents should take primary responsibility for the cost of looking after their children to ensure the best outcome for their family as soon as possible. This primary duty to maintain their children has priority over all commitments apart from the necessary commitments for self-support.

These principles apply irrespective of whether an individual is entitled to receive or claim FTB. Becoming entitled to FTB should not be the primary motivator for seeking child support.

The Maintenance Action Test (MAT) ensures that reasonable action is taken to obtain child support for a child from a previous relationship, particularly where the customer is claiming more than the base rate of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A for the child. FTB Part A for a child is limited to the base rate if a customer, or their current partner, is required to take action to obtain child support but fails to do so.

Service Officers first check that an application for child support assessment is needed. In some cases, it is not applicable for a customer to take action to obtain child support.

There are some situations when a customer is not required to take reasonable action to obtain child support and satisfy the MAT. In these cases, the customer may apply for a maintenance action test exemption.

Centrelink will provide information about child support and how a customer should apply. Service Officers will advise customers that receiving child support may affect their entitlement to family assistance.

Service Officers will inform customers of their obligations for child support when a change of circumstance occurs, including when a customer:

• first claims FTB
• claims FTB for an additional child (birth of child or change of care)
• separates from the parent of a child in their care
• shares the care of a child and their percentage of actual care increases to 35% or more
• first becomes entitled to apply for child support for other reasons. For example, date or arrival:
• in Australia for separated parent and their child irrespective of whether they are residentially qualified or not (date of event is the date of arrival)
• in a reciprocal country, including Australia, where the payer has been in a non-reciprocal country (date of event is the date supplied by the customer or the date Services Australia becomes aware of the payer's change of residency, whichever is the earlier)

A customer’s request to apply for a child support assessment or to register an overseas maintenance liability is the first interaction newly separated parents or non-parent carers have with Child Support. Child Support’s objective is to encourage parental responsibility and self-reliance to establish appropriate and sustainable arrangements for the financial support of their children.

Child Support will assess a newly separated parent's or non-parent carer's entitlement to receive child support. Service Officers should consider customer's individual circumstances to provide information about available products, services and referrals that may assist parents to manage their child support responsibilities.

Applications where 1 of the customers resides overseas are managed by International New Customers, for more information see the Resources page of Applications for a child support assessment, Overseas customers table.

Child Support will assist customers claiming child support by:

• conducting pre assessment interviews
• providing information, products and referrals
• making decisions on eligibility, income and care
• establishing payment methods
• processing a customer's application for child support assessment
• resolving/actioning customer enquiries to achieve sustainable outcome

All customers must be encouraged to take action to obtain child support.

If a customer provides care for a child for whom they are not the parent, they may be able to apply for child support from both of the child's parents. Examples of non-parent carers include legal guardians, grandparents or other family members.

There is no Maintenance Action Test (MAT) requirement for these customers. If they elect not to apply for child support they will not fail the MAT however they still may wish to apply for an assessment. If an assessment is commenced for a non-parent carer the Maintenance Income Test will apply as normal.

Customers can apply for a non-parent carer child support assessment if they:

• care for a child 128 nights or more a year (35% or more care), and
• are not considered to be a member of a couple with 1 of the child's parents

For more information, see Application for assessment - non-parent carer.