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Initial contact by families 007-01000000

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This document outlines the different payments and services available to families by Services Australia.

Government intent

Families may contact before or after the birth, adoption or a change of care of a child. They may also contact when they begin to use child care. Services Australia will assess the family's circumstances and offer appropriate payments and services to the family.

Assistance available

Families can be helped to:

  • claim Family Tax Benefit (FTB), including Newborn Supplement and Newborn Upfront Payment for a newborn or adopted child
  • claim Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) for children attending an approved child care service
  • claim Parental Leave Pay (PPL) and Dad and Partner Pay (DAP). Note: DAP is not payable for children born or adopted on or after 1 July 2023. Fathers and partners will need to claim PPL
  • claim an annual Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS) if they did not claim or receive FTB. Note: SIFS is not payable from 1 July 2017 unless customers meet grandfathering provisions
  • choose an FTB payment option that suits the family's financial circumstances
  • provide an accurate income estimate to reduce the risk of an overpayment of family assistance which will need to be repaid
  • consider 'what if' scenarios to estimate how much FTB and CCS the family is likely to get
  • claim extra assistance to help with the cost of education for primary, secondary and under 16 year old tertiary students under the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme
  • claim an income support payment such as Parenting Payment
  • notify a change of circumstances
  • make appointments for complex enquiries/interviews
  • access other government and community assistance

The initial contact may be made online, by phone or at a service centre.

The Resources page contains links to the Services Australia website for information about payments and services for families and contact us details.

Contents

Initial contact by customers claiming payments for families

Receipt of claims, forms and documentation for family assistance

Approved Care Organisations (ACO)

Referral to external specialists/services

Help for grandparents caring for children

Employment assistance for Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Parenting Payment (PP) customers

Identifying entitlements and services for the customer (CLK)