Completing child support Manual Follow-ups (MFUs) 277-51160010

Child support Manual Follow-up (MFU) activities will display on a customer's Activity List (AL) screen.

For information about these activities, see Child support Manual Follow-up activities and automatic reviews.

Child support MFUs can be generated:

• automatically due to the maintenance action code recorded for a child
• automatically as a result of data transferred from Child Support, e.g. where a child support case has been ended or where a child has been ended in a child support case. If a debt has been caused by the case or child end data, transfer MFU to the Child Support Unit to investigate
• manually from the Review Registration (RVR) screen to review maintenance action at a suitable date

The review text will explain why the review was set up and will also state if an auto review is set to limit the customer's Family Tax Benefit Part A rate for the child to base rate if no action is taken.

Select the activity from the AL screen and choose 'view activity details on AY screen'.

Note: if the customer's circumstances have changed, the review may not be needed. Complete MFU activity. Procedure ends here.

'S'elect child from the Maintenance Entitlement Group Summary (MNGS) screen and go to the child's Maintenance Action (MNMA) screen.

Has the maintenance action code been updated since the review was set up?

Note: it may have been auto updated to NMA (No maintenance action) in which case the review should still be completed.

• Yes, the review no longer applies. Complete MFU activity. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Has the customer applied for a child support assessment and/or Child Support collection?

(Maintenance action codes 'APP', 'CAC' or 'COL')

• Yes, complete MFU activity and check for mismatches which may prevent data being transferred. You may need to try to:
• match the receiving parent
• link or unlink the paying parent or
• match a child
• If mutual customer matching has been successful but data has not been transferred, confirm details before updating maintenance action code. See Applications for child support. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 4

Is a review of an exemption from seeking child support needed?

• Yes, refer the record using the Social Worker Referral Guided Procedure. Select the 'Child Support Scheme Exemption' referral reason and record full details in the 'Additional Information' section explaining why the review is needed, the name of the relevant child/ren and the customer's phone number. Complete MFU activity. Review of exemption (Q034) may be issued to the customer if unable to contact by phone. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 5

Contact customer to find out what steps to obtain child support they have taken or why they have not taken reasonable action to obtain child support.

• If the customer needs to apply for a child support assessment, or advises they have applied but this is not confirmed on their record, see Application for child support
• If after discussion it is determined that the customer may be entitled to an exemption, arrange Social Worker appointment and update customer record. See Exemptions from seeking child support

If the customer cannot be contacted by phone, a Q107 letter must be manually sent to advise the customer what action they need to take.

The Q107 differs from the Maintenance Action Requirement Notification letter, and is used if the automated letter has not been sent because the customer is outside the Deciding Maintenance Action (DMA) period.

(An initial Maintenance Action Requirement Notification letter is automatically produced if the customer or their current partner has a requirement to take reasonable action to obtain child support for a child in their care and the child is within a 91 day DMA period. This letter will be sent at the finalisation of a new claim or at the completion of a circumstance change activity). For further information on creating manual letters see Creating an Online Advice (OLA), including within an existing activity.

Has customer taken reasonable action to obtain child support?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

• 'S'elect MFU activity and update the maintenance action code for child to reflect what action the customer has taken. This may mean re-coding the previous code with a new event date. (e.g. court order not obtainable)
• Record details on a DOC
• Finalise activity on the Assessment Results (AR) screen

Procedure ends here.

• Advise customer that FTB Part A for the child/ren will be limited to the base rate
• Advise customer what action they would need to take to satisfy the maintenance action test
• For some MAT codes, an auto review will update MAT code to NMA (no maintenance action), e.g. at 92 days after DMA event date, and the customer will be advised of any change in their FTB rate. Complete MFU activity
• To manually update MAT code, 'S'elect MFU activity and update maintenance action to 'NMA' from date customer failed to take action
• Record details on a DOC and finalise activity on AR screen