Customer advises care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) 007-02040010

A customer may advise Services Australia of a care arrangement verbally, in writing, on a Details of your care arrangements form (FA012), Child Support's Online and Express Plus App services, or when claiming.

This includes non-family assistance claims such as Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy or ABSTUDY.

If the customer is currently in receipt of FTB, advises of separation from most recent partner and advises of a change in care arrangements at the same time, i.e. shared care, go to Step 1 in Table 2.

If the customer is currently in receipt of FTB, advises of separation from most recent partner and advises no change in care arrangements, no further action is required for care arrangements. For all other action required where a customer separates, see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Parental Leave Pay (PPL) and/or Child Care Subsidy (CCS) customer separates.

Note: If the customer advises of separation, there are key tasks they must consider to keep their personal information safe. See Separating Safely - protecting personal details.

100% care change

Where a change of care (100% care change) has occurred, and the child has:

• left the customer's care, see Child leaves customer's care/custody
• entered the customer's care, see Child enters customer's care/custody

Check for sensitive issues and make appropriate referral to a social worker. If all shared care information is confirmed by the other party and already coded on that party’s file, process the advised changes at first point of contact.

Separate procedures apply if the customer:

• wants to claim for a newborn or adopted child
• wants to claim for a child entrusted to care as part of the process of adoption or surrogacy
• is not FTB current and wants to claim FTB instalments for the child
• is FTB current for another child and there has been an increase in care to 14% or more for the child not linked to the customer; reassess FTB for the additional child entering care

Shared care

Where a customer notifies shared care:

• Smart Centre staff trained in shared care assessments, see Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• All other staff, go to Step 2

Check the customer's record to determine if the care decision is being undertaken by staff delivering Child Support services.

Select the relevant child from the Relations menu:

• Check the Care Alignment Details (CADDS) screen to see if Child Support commenced a care activity. Note: in some cases, the status of commenced is not displaying due to a system issue. If an assessment has been commenced and finalised on the Centrelink and Child Support systems, the systems will determine which was advised first and the initial assessment will apply
• Check the Families Shared Care table on the Shared Care Assessment (SCA) screen. The record will display as 'CSP Care Decision'
• Check Notes/DL screen for relevant DOCs

Has a care activity been commenced in the Child Support system?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

No updates are required.

If the care assessment was completed, go to the SCA screen. The Families Shared Care table displays the date the new care arrangement commenced, the care percentage, assessment method (CSP Care Decision) and carer.

Record details of the contact on a DOC/Note.

Procedure ends here.

If the losing carer is advising that a court order/parenting plan/written agreement for care arrangements is not being complied with (disputed care), see Disputed care step in the Initial customer contact table in Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

If a care assessment is not yet commenced or finalised or has a status of Lapsed, and the activity cannot be completed end to end on the date received:

• Key Start into the Super Key
• Select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector
• Update the CADDS screen to Commenced in the child's record

Go to Step 1 in Table 2.

Has care assessment information been confirmed by the other party and already coded on other party’s record?

• Yes, process the advised changes at first point of contact. Go to Step 10
• No, for a:
• decrease in care, go to Step 2
• increase in care, go to Step 3

Note: a problem (P24845) has been identified where shared care is not being correctly applied when a child is in the care of a parent who has transferred their FTB to their current partner (step-parent).

The Resources page contains details of the workaround that must be applied every time care is reassessed on these records.

Where there is a decrease in care for the customer, apply the decrease for FTB customers, including customers in receipt of an income support payment to ensure that they are not overpaid.

• Key Start into the Super Key and select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector
• On the Shared Care Assessment (SCA) screen, code the reduced care percentage on the Families Shared Care table (coding the Preliminary Indicator as 'Y') and SSC Shared Care table (coding percentage of care and Principal Carer details) until an actual care assessment can be made. Code from the date care reduced. When coding care, ensure the correct date of receipt (DOR) is used

SSC screen/shared care table, ‘shared care percentage’ and ‘principal carer indicator’ is used to determine principal carer status for income support payments. If the customer is single and receiving JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Youth Allowance (job seeker) or Special Benefit (SpB) and the principal carer status is changing, the Principal carer details (PCCD) screen will be automatically updated based on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen coding.

If the customer receives Parenting Payment Single (PPS) and no longer has principal care of the child, and the DOV coded on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen is prior to 2 March 2024 update the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen with:

• Service reason: PPS, and
• Reason: OTN

This ensures correct PP and pension child assessment. If this is the only PP child in care, PPS will cancel.

After coding the reduction in care, go to Step 3.

If a customer has:

• an informal arrangement for a grandparent, other relative or friend who has supplied a Details of your Child's Care Arrangement (FA012) signed by a parent of the child, or the losing parent has advised verbally of the change in care, additional evidence is required to make a change of care determination
• Supplied a Details of your Child's Care Arrangement (FA012) signed by both parties, or advised verbally of the change in care and the gaining carer has legal responsibility of the child (e.g., parents), where the care date and percentage has been agreed by both parties, go to Step 10
• Supplied an FA012 signed only by the customer or is notifying verbally, make 1 outbound call attempt to the other carer to confirm the care arrangement, even where the other carer is not FTB current. Go to Step 4

Note: in most cases it is mandatory to attempt to contact the other carer, even if the other carer is not claiming FTB.

Exceptions to this are:

• if care arrangements have changed as a result of an order by a state welfare authority there may be sensitivities involved and staff should exercise their judgement on a case by case basis to determine whether it is appropriate to make contact
• if there is a family and domestic violence situation and there is concern that the customer or child/ren will be placed at risk if the other carer is contacted, the Service Officer must be satisfied based on the available evidence that a decision can be made without contact

Note: where FDV concerns are identified, the FDV Support Model must be followed and consideration be given to the involvement of a social worker where a child may be at risk of harm or where a customer's circumstances indicate vulnerability or risk to the customer's safety. See Social work service referral.

Was the contact successful and the care arrangement details confirmed?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No, go to Step 5

• Key Start into the Super Key and select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector
• Go to the child record and navigate to the Care Alignment Details (CADDS) screen:
• in the Care Assessment field, select Commenced
• finalise the activity

If the losing carer/recent ex-partner is FTB current:

• Select > Request Documents to request care information. Also do this for the gaining carer. See Information requests for FTB and PPL claims, and Add Newborn and PPL change of circumstances activities. Note: there is no required to issue the FA012 form when sending a request for information (RFI) in Process Direct, customers should follow the instructions contained in the RFI to access the form online

If the losing carer/recent ex-partner is:

• not FTB current and has an existing Centrelink record
• Select > Request Documents to request care information
• not FTB current and does not have an existing Centrelink record
• if the gaining carer has or can supply enough information to create a record for the losing carer, a record should be created, and the children linked to the new record. See Adding a customer to the system and Linking a child to a customer's record. Select > Request Documents to request care information
• if the gaining carer cannot provide enough information to create a record for the losing carer, the RFI can be issued to the other carer from the gaining carer's record. Select > Request Documents to request care information and answer Yes to Is this letter being sent to a carer who does not have a record and enter the carer's personal details including name and address

See Information requests for FTB and PPL claims, and Add Newborn and PPL change of circumstances activities for help requesting care information.

Note: there is no requirement to issue a FA012 locally, customers are to follow the instructions contained in the RFI to access the form online.

• Record a Note with the details
• When an RFI is sent to the other carer in their record this will create a work item which will automatically be placed on hold for the number of days selected in Request Documents. To see the non-new claim work item check the Transactions icon. When the requested information and/or care change is completed the work item can be closed

Note: due to the unsuccessful contact with the other carer, letters are sent to both the losing and gaining carers to provide both carers equal opportunity to provide evidence without unnecessary delays to process the FTB payment.

Customer in hardship - gaining carer

If the new carer is in hardship and is currently receiving an income support payment or has a claim pending, the FTB claim may be determined without delay. However, the change of care must still be confirmed, this can be by phone. If contact cannot be made and the evidence to support the decision is satisfactory, FTB can be paid to the gaining carer. The customer should be advised that if the care arrangements are contested, this may result in an overpayment for the customer.

When the evidence is due to be returned, go to Step 6.

Evidence not returned within allowable time frame

Make 1 genuine phone contact attempt to the other carer.

If contact attempt is successful, and the other carer:

• confirms change of care, go to Step 10
• is in disagreement over change of care exists, go to Step 7

If there is still no response received from either carer, in Customer First cancel FTB for the other carer (unless they are identified as vulnerable or at risk) using reason 'FRC' (Failed to Reply to Correspondence) on the Benefits Action (BA) screen from date paid to plus 1. Where the gaining carer is claiming FTB, code the gaining carer's claim 'NEF' (not effective), as it is not certain that the change of care has occurred.

If the other carer is vulnerable or at risk, 2 genuine attempts to contact by phone should be made before cancelling the customer 'FRC'.

FTB should not be granted/reassessed for the new carer. Do not change the care percentages until there is enough evidence to support such a decision. If the losing carer is in receipt of an income support payment, their entitlement may be affected by the change in shared care. See:

• Principal carer of a dependent child
• Child enters customer's care/custody
• Child leaves customer's care/custody

Further evidence may need to be requested from the gaining carer. If evidence is supplied by the gaining carer at a later date, this can be used to reassess the payment from the date the care changed (prior to date paid to plus one). Do not reassess the gaining carer until there is enough evidence to support the decision. Procedure ends here.

Record details on a DOC/Note on each carer's record.

Note: when the actual care decision is made, both gaining and losing carer records should be updated with the correct care details from the correct date. Do not use date paid to plus one, the correct date of the care change must be used.

All carers have responded

Compare available evidence and identify areas of contest (if any).

• If contested, go to Step 7
• If not contested, assess the change of care. Go to Step 10

One carer responds

Make a decision on the available evidence.

A child can only be linked to a person (carers) record if:

• both carers have participated in the making of a new care decision either verbally or written (FA012)
• the Service Officer is making a subsequent care decision and receives the ‘E004WA Mandatory value not entered on screen’ error due to a care decision displaying on FSC for a non-linked carer. This can occur when Child Support have made a previous care decision and it has been received via the data exchange
• the customer has made a claim in relation to the child (includes an ISP claim that attracts the ‘with child’ rate)
• the claimant is a step parent and the P24845 - Step parent workaround needs to be applied

When the actual care decision is made, record/s should be updated with the correct care details from the correct date. Do not use date paid to plus one, the correct date of the care change must be used.

On the losing carer's record:

• Key Start into the Super Key and select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector
• Select the Shared Care Assessment (SCA) screen and update the existing shared care percentage from the date care changed on both the Families Shared Care and SSC Shared Care tables

If the customer receives Parenting Payment Single (PPS) and no longer has principal care of the child and the DOV coded on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen is prior to 2 March 2024, update the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen with:

• Service reason: PPS, and
• Reason: OTN

Child changes recorded on 1 customer's record will ripple to other customers linked to the child. If the customer is in a different environment and updates are required, see Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions for assistance with environment transfers

If the losing carer:

• Is not in receipt of a payment (includes ISP that attracts ‘with child rate’) for the relevant child, updates to the record should not be made. Add a DOC/Note to the record
• Is in receipt of an ISP that attracts the 'with child rate' for the relevant child, check the PCCD screen and update if required (to avoid incorrect payment)
• Does not have an existing Centrelink record, updates cannot be made. Do not create a record for the purpose of a DOC/Note. The gaining carer’s DOC/Note should advise the losing carer did not have an existing Centrelink record

Ensure that the following information is recorded on a DOC/Note:

• the customer was sent an FCC Shared Care request for information on [date] to confirm the change of care
• the customer failed to respond by [date]
• phone contact was attempted on [date] and [date]
• contact was unsuccessful, therefore [child/ren(s) names] care has been reassessed on available evidence from [date]

Update the gaining carer's record. Note: do not grant/reassess the gaining carer until there is enough evidence to support the decision.

Go to Step 10

All disagreed care assessments and updates are completed by Integrated Care skilled staff within Child Support Smart Centres (CSSC). Once evidence is returned or the activity/claim becomes 'DUE', this will be allocated to Integrated Care (INC) skilled staff to process.

To hand-off to INC skilled staff:

• Where there is an existing work item (i.e. claim activity), place the work item on hold for 14 days, allowing extra time for mail delivery and add the keyword 'DISAGREE' via the Keyword icon in Process Direct
• Where there is no activity, in Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows (this includes where evidence has been requested when actioning FA012s):
• Service Reason: FTB
• Review Reason: CCC (Child in customer care)
• Due Date: 14 days from date evidence requested, allow extra time for mail delivery
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: 'Gaining/Losing Carer has been requested to provide evidence, by xx/xx/xxxx. Check response and return to OB 007-02040010 for action.'
• Keyword: DISAGREE
• Workgroup: leave blank
• Position: leave blank
• Transfer to Region: leave blank
• The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action
• Where actioning an FA012, the scanned document work item will need to be completed, see Viewing Centrelink customers' digital images
• Ensure all details including the due date are provided within Fast Note on all parties’ records. Select Auto text. Use Families > Enquiry > Shared Care Evidence DUE DATE
• Create a DOA DOC using Fast Note on all parties’ records, with an expiry date of 28 days. Select Auto text. Use Families > Enquiry > Disagreed Care in Progress
• Once evidence is returned or the activity/claim becomes DUE, this will be allocated to an Integrated Care trained Service Officer

Note: the work item does not need to be re-categorised, as by adding the 'DISAGREE' keyword, it will automatically flow to Integrated Care trained staff.

For customers who are experiencing financial hardship or are a family in crisis and request urgent finalisation of the care arrangements:

• A request for urgent activity finalisation for Disagreement of care arrangements cannot be made before the request for evidence due date
• Use Fast Note in Customer First to make an urgent request. Select Auto Text. Use > Families > Enquiry >Disagree Care Urgent Esc.
  Note: the Disagree Care Urgent Esc auto text automatically adds the keywords 'URGENT' and 'DISAGREE'.

Centrelink staff, procedure ends here.

Integrated Care skilled staff (CSSC), go to Step 8.

This step should only be undertaken by Child Support staff trained in Integrated Care.

Compare available evidence and identify areas of disagreement. Phone each carer to discuss the discrepancies and give them the opportunity to respond.

Is care agreed after discussion?

• Yes, see Step 1 in the Coding shared care arrangements table of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). Procedure ends here
• No,
• If further information will not be provided, or all parties cannot be contacted, go to Step 9
• If a carer indicates they can provide additional supporting evidence, request it be provided within 7 days
• Let customers know about online lodgement of documents
• Place work item on hold for 15 days (22 days for remote or overseas customers) to allow mailing time
• Document the discussion, care information, and when further evidence is due
• Once the work item is due, make a care determination based on the available evidence. Go to Step 9

• Yes, and the Service Officer is satisfied that a change of care has occurred, see Step 1 in the Coding shared care arrangements table of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). Procedure ends here
• No, if a care decision cannot be made as the evidence is inconclusive, reject the care decision:
• Document the records with the reason for this decision. Ensure the DOC/Note covers the reasons for the assessment outcomes, how the information was received, if a manual advice was sent and other relevant information. Note: if the other party does not have a record, do not create a record for the purpose of a DOC
• Issue a Q999 letter in Customer First to the customer and/or other carer, including the reason for the outcome and the review and appeal rights. The Resources page contains approved text for the Q999 letter
• Cancel any associated review activities
• Assess any claim pending as ‘NEF’ (not effective), as not all required information has been provided. See Not effective, rejection, or withdrawal of claim for Family Tax Benefit or Stillborn Baby Payment
• If either carer is in receipt of an Income Support payment, their entitlement may be affected by the change in care. Consider if cancellation, suspension or update is appropriate. See Principal carer of a dependent child
• If the child is attracting Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance, appropriately trained carer staff will still need to complete a reassessment of eligibility. Use Fast Note in Customer First to send a request for the Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance eligibility to be checked by appropriately trained staff. Select Auto text. Use Families > Updates > CA/CP referral-check eligibility
• Procedure ends here

Is the claimant a step-parent?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 12

Note: where FTB is transferred out to partner (Transfer out to partner reason code displays on the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen - from parent to step-parent) and the customer is a Centrelink and Child Support mutual customer, these records are to be referred for investigation. See the Process page of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for further details of the workaround and text for DOC/Notes.

Complete the following coding. Record updates on the child record:

• In the claimant's record, key Start into the Super Key
• Select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector. This includes where the child has their own PER record
• The updates will ripple to each customer record linked to the child

Note: the Ripple Management Consequences (RMC) screen will display Ripple Activities involving other impacted records as a result of a care update. The Ripple Instruction Code will automatically set to Complete. Where ripple management is required to view the outcome of the update in the ripple participant's record, select Edit beside the ripple to be managed to change the Ripple Instruction Code to Started or Merge. After selecting Save, select Update to apply the changes.

If the child is in a different environment, see Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions for assistance with environment transfers.

Note: attempting to code an increase in care that will result in greater than 100% combined care will result in an error on the SCA screen and prevent the Service Officer from completing the coding.

If an increase in care has been advised by a customer, assess and code shared care on the SCA screen on the Families Shared Care and SSC Shared Care tables for each carer separately in separate activities using the Families - Care Assessment workflow. The details for the customer with the reduction in care percentage MUST be coded first, followed by the customer with the increase in care percentage.

If the current partner of the parent (step-parent) will receive FTB for the child:

• On the parent's record, key Start into the Super Key and select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector. Select the child record from the Relations menu and go to:
• For increase in care, the Customer Care (CHC) screen. Select In customer care in the Care Status: field using the correct Date of Event (DOV), being the date the new care arrangements commenced, and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• Families Shared Care table on the SCA screen. Code the new care percentage using the correct Date of Event (DOV), being the date the new care arrangements commenced and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• SSC Shared Care table on the SCA screen (if the parent/step-parent is on an income support payment). If the partner is the principal carer, code the parent as 0%). See Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination for details on how to make a Principal care determination
• Care Alignment Details (CADDS) screen. Change the line with the corresponding notification date to 'Finalised' for both an increase or decrease in care
• Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen. Select Transfer Out to Partner using the same Date of Event (DOV)
• On the step-parent's (claimant's) record:
• Update the CHC screen for increase in care. Check child is recorded as in customer's care. If not, select In customer care in the Care Status: field using the correct DOV, being the date the new care arrangements commenced, and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• SSC Shared Care table on the SCA screen (when current on income support payment). See Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination for details on how to make a Principal care determination
• If they are in receipt of an ISP that attracts the 'with child rate' for the relevant child, check the PCCD screen
• CHOC screen - select Claim
• Add details to the automated finalisation DOC/Note created
• Check and complete the activity

Note: if Carer Allowance (CA) is current or assessed as eligible with change of care circumstances, see Changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA).

Procedure ends here.

Complete the following coding on the claimant's record.

Record updates on the child record:

• In the claimant's record, key Start into the Super Key
• Select the Families - Care Assessments workflow from the Task Selector. This includes where the child has their own PER record
• The updates will ripple to each customer record linked to the child

Note: the Ripple Management Consequences (RMC) screen will display Ripple Activities involving other impacted records as a result of a care update. The Ripple Instruction Code will automatically set to Complete. Where ripple management is required to view the outcome of the update in the ripple participant's record, select Edit beside the ripple to be managed to change the Ripple Instruction Code to Started or Merge. Select Save and select Update to confirm the change.

If the child is in a different environment, see Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions for assistance with environment transfers.

Note: attempting to code an increase in care that will result in greater than 100% combined care will result in an error on the SCA screen and prevent the Service Officer from completing the coding.

Where an increase in care has been advised by a customer, assess and code shared care on the Families Shared Care and SSC Shared Care tables on the SCA screen for each carer separately in separate activities using the Families - Care Assessment workflow. See Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). The details for the customer with the reduction in care percentage must be coded first, followed by the customer with the increase in care percentage.

Select the child record from the Relations menu and go to the:

• Families Shared Care table on the SCA screen, code the new care percentage with:
• Date of Event (DOV) as the date the new care arrangements started, and
• Correct DOR when applying care decisions. Note: if the change is a reduction that has not been confirmed with the other carer, code preliminary indicator as 'Y'. Once evidence is supplied and the care change is finalised, update the preliminary indicator to 'N'
• SSC Shared Care table on the SCA screen, code the new care percentage and Principal Carer indicator with DOV as the date the new care arrangements started
• Note: for income support payment customers, if the new care percentage is between 46- 54%, do not change the principal care status
  Smart Centre staff trained in shared care assessments, see Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination to make principal carer determination where care is considered equal (less than 10% difference).
  All other staff - refer details using Fast Note in Customer First. Select Auto Text. Use Families > Updates > Principal Carer Determination Required
• If SSC Shared Care table has not been previously coded, update care percentage and Principal Carer indicator
• Care Alignment Details (CADDS) screen, change the line with the corresponding notification date to 'Finalised' for both an increase or decrease in care
• Add details to the automated finalisation DOC/Note
• If the care assessment has been confirmed and the updates have been applied to the claimant and other carer's record, issue letters to both the customer and other carer with principal carer decision from the Correspondence (CORRO) screen using the Care Assessment Outcome Letter option available under the Issue Correspondence table
• If Carer Allowance (CA) is current or assessed as eligible with change of care circumstances see, Changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA)

A customer may advise Services Australia of a care arrangement verbally, in writing, on a Details of your care arrangements form (FA012), CS Online or Express Plus App, or when claiming.

This includes non-family assistance claims such as Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy or ABSTUDY.

If the customer is currently in receipt of FTB, advises of separation from most recent partner and advises of a change in care arrangements at the same time, i.e. shared care, go to Step 1 in Table 2.

If the customer is currently in receipt of FTB, advises of separation from most recent partner and advises no change in care arrangements, no further action is required for care arrangements. For all other action required where a customer separates, see Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Parental Leave Pay (PPL) and/or Child Care Subsidy (CCS) customer separates.

100% care change

Where a change of care (100% care change) has occurred, and the child has:

• left the customer's care, see Child leaves customer's care/custody
• entered the customer's care, see Child enters customer's care/custody

Check for sensitive issues and make appropriate referral to a social worker, see Social Work Services. If all shared care information is confirmed by the other party and already coded on that party’s file, process the advised changes at first point of contact.

Separate procedures apply if the customer:

• wants to claim for a newborn or adopted child
• wants to claim for a child entrusted to care as part of the process of adoption or surrogacy
• is not FTB current and wants to claim FTB instalments for the child
• is FTB current for another child and there has been an increase in care to 14% or more for the child not linked to the customer; reassess FTB for the additional child entering care

Shared care

Where a customer notifies shared care:

• Smart Centre staff trained in shared care assessments, see Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• All other staff, go to Step 2

Check the customer's record to determine if the care decision is being undertaken by staff delivering Child Support services.

Go to the Child Selection (CHS) screen and 'S'elect the relevant child.

• Check the Care Alignment Details (!CADDS) screen to see if Child Support commenced a care activity. Note: in some cases, the status of commenced is not displaying due to a system issue. If an assessment has been commenced and finalised on the Centrelink and Child Support systems, the systems will determine which was advised first and the initial assessment will apply
• Check the FTB Shared Care (FSC) screen. The record will display as 'CSP Care Decision'
• Check the Document List (DL) screen for relevant DOCs

Has a care activity been commenced in the Child Support system?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

No updates are required.

If the care assessment was completed, select the child from the CHS screen and navigate to the FTB Shared Care (FSC) screen where the date the new care arrangement commenced, the care percentage, assessment method (CSP Care Decision) and carer will be displayed.

Record details of the contact on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

If the losing carer is advising that a court order/parenting plan/written agreement for care arrangements is not being complied with (disputed care), see 'Disputed care' step in the 'Initial customer contact' table in Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

If a care assessment is not yet commenced or finalised or has a status of Lapsed, and the activity cannot be completed end to end on the date received, update (!CADDS) to Commenced.

Go to Step 1 in Table 2.

Has care assessment information been confirmed by the other party and already coded on other party’s record?

• Yes, process the advised changes at first point of contact. Go to Step 10
• No, for a:
• decrease in care, go to Step 2
• increase in care, go to Step 3

Note: a problem (P24845) has been identified where shared care is not being correctly applied when a child is in the care of a parent who has transferred their FTB to their current partner (step-parent).

The Resources page contains details of the workaround that must be applied every time care is reassessed on these records.

Where there is a decrease in care for the customer, apply the decrease for FTB customers, including customers in receipt of an income support payment to ensure that they are not overpaid.

Code the reduced care percentage on the FTB Shared Care (FSC) (coding the Preliminary Indicator as 'Y') and SSA Shared Care (SSC) screens (coding percentage of care and Principal Carer indicator) until an actual care assessment can be made. Code from the date care reduced. When coding care, ensure the correct date of receipt (DOR) is used.

If the child has their own record: code the updates in the child's PER record before returning to the respective customers’ records.

If the customer receives Parenting Payment Single (PPS) and no longer has principal care of the child and the DOV coded on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen is prior to 2 March 2024, update the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen with:

• Service reason: PPS, and
• Reason: OTN

This ensures correct PP and pension child assessment. If this is the only PP child in care, PPS will cancel.

After coding the reduction in care, go to Step 3.

If a customer has:

• an informal arrangement for a grandparent who has supplied a Details of your Child's Care Arrangement (FA012) signed by a parent of the child or the losing carer advised verbally of the change in care, additional evidence is required to make a change of care determination. See Eligibility for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for grandparent carers
• an informal arrangement for non-parent carer (e.g. a relative or friend) who has supplied a Details of your Child's Care Arrangement (FA012) signed by a parent of the child, or the losing parent has advised the agency verbally, additional evidence is required to make a change of care determination. For examples of when to request evidence, see the Resources page
• Supplied a Details of your Child's Care Arrangement (FA012) signed by both parties with legal responsibility for the child (e.g. parents), or advised verbally of the change in care and the other carer's record has previously been documented advising of the change in shared care, where the care date and percentage has been agreed by both parties, go to Step 10
• Supplied an FA012 signed only by the customer or is notifying verbally, make 1 outbound call attempt to the other carer to confirm the care arrangement, even where the other carer is not FTB current. Go to Step 4

Note: in most cases it is mandatory to attempt to contact the other carer, even if the other carer is not claiming FTB.

Exceptions to this are:

• if care arrangements have changed as a result of an order by a state welfare authority there may be sensitivities involved and staff should exercise their judgement on a case by case basis to determine whether it is appropriate to make contact
• if there is a family and domestic violence situation and there is concern that the customer or child/ren will be placed at risk if the other carer is contacted, the Service Officer must be satisfied based on the available evidence that a decision can be made without contact

Note: where FDV concerns are identified, the FDR Support Model must be followed and consideration be given to the involvement of a social worker where a child may be at risk of harm or where a customer's circumstances indicate vulnerability or risk to the customer's safety. See Social work service referral.

Was the contact successful and the care arrangement details confirmed?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No, go to Step 5

• select the child from the Child Selection (CHS) screen and navigate to the Care Alignment Details (!CADDS) page:
• in the Care Assessment field, select Commenced
• finalise the activity

If the losing carer/recent ex-partner is FTB current, run the Child Change in Care Arrangements script to issue a Q810 to the gaining carer, requesting evidence for a change in shared care and issue the losing carer with a Q810 and Details of your child's care arrangements form (FA012). Note: the FA012 will allow the losing carer the opportunity to provide Services Australia with information regarding their care arrangements.

If the losing carer/recent ex-partner is:

• not FTB current and has an existing Centrelink record
• Issue a Q999 letter with a Details of your child's care arrangements form (FA012) from their record. See the Resources page for letter a link to the letter
• not FTB current and does not have an existing Centrelink record
• if the gaining carer has or can supply enough information to create a record for the losing carer, a record should be created, and the children linked to the new record. See Adding a customer to the system and Linking a child to a customer's record. Issue a Q999 letter with a Details of your child's care arrangements (FA012) from the record
• if the gaining carer cannot provide enough information to create a record for the losing carer send a Q999 letter with a Details of your child's care arrangements form (FA012) from the gaining carer's record as a third party letter. See the Resources page for a link to the letter

Note: when sending a FA012 or calendar along with the Q810 or other chosen letter, the letter must be printed locally to allow the required enclosures and reply paid envelope to be included. The Resources page in Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) contains the calendar. See the Resources page for a link to print the FA012 form. If the FA012 has already been issued for this care period do not issue another form unless requested by the customer or other carer.

• Record details on a DOC
• Close any open DOCs automatically generated by the script on both customer's and other carer's record
• Resubmit (claim or reassessment activity) for a minimum of 22 days to allow extra time for mail delivery and for customers to respond. Record the due date for requested documents in the relevant Progress DOC.

Note: due to the unsuccessful contact with the other carer, letters are sent to both the losing and gaining carers to provide both carers equal opportunity to provide evidence without unnecessary delays to process the FTB payment.

Customer in hardship - gaining carer

If the new carer is in hardship and is currently receiving an income support payment or has a claim pending, the FTB claim may be determined without delay. However, the change of care must still be confirmed, this can be by phone. If contact cannot be made and the evidence to support the decision is satisfactory, FTB can be paid to the gaining carer. The customer should be advised that if the care arrangements are contested, this may result in an overpayment for the customer.

When the evidence is due to be returned, go to Step 6.

Evidence not returned within allowable time frame

Make 1 genuine phone contact attempt to the other carer.

If contact attempt is successful, and the other carer:

• confirms change of care, go to Step 10
• is in disagreement over change of care exists, go to Step 7

If there is still no response received from either carer, cancel FTB for the other carer (unless they are identified as vulnerable or at risk) using reason 'FRC' (Failed to Reply to Correspondence) on the Benefits Action (BA) screen from date paid to plus 1. Where the gaining carer is claiming FTB code the gaining carer's claim 'NEF' (not effective), as it is not certain that the change of care has occurred.

If the other carer is vulnerable or at risk, 2 genuine attempts to contact by phone should be made before cancelling the customer 'FRC'.

FTB should not be granted/reassessed for the new carer. Do not change the care percentages until there is enough evidence to support such a decision. If the losing carer is in receipt of an income support payment, their entitlement may be affected by the change in shared care. See:

• Principal carer of a dependent child
• Child enters customer's care/custody
• Child leaves customer's care/custody

Further evidence may need to be requested from the gaining carer. If evidence is supplied by the gaining carer at a later date, this can be used to reassess the payment from the date the care changed (prior to date paid to plus one). Do not reassess the gaining carer until there is enough evidence to support the decision. Procedure ends here.

Record details on a DOC on each carer's record.

Note: when the actual care decision is made, both gaining and losing carer records should be updated with the correct care details from the correct date. Do not use date paid to plus one, the correct date of the care change must be used.

All carers have responded

Compare available evidence and identify areas of contest (if any).

• If contested, go to Step 7
• If not contested, assess the change of care. Go to Step 10

One carer responds

Make a decision on the available evidence.

A child can only be linked to a person (carers) record if:

• both carers have participated in the making of a new care decision either verbally or written (FA012)
• the Service Officer is making a subsequent care decision and receives the ‘E004WA Mandatory value not entered on screen’ error due to a care decision displaying on FSC for a non-linked carer. This can occur when Child Support have made a previous care decision and it has been received via the data exchange
• the customer has made a claim in relation to the child (includes an ISP claim that attracts the ‘with child’ rate)
• the claimant is a step parent and the P24845 - Step parent workaround needs to be applied

When the actual care decision is made, record/s should be updated with the correct care details from the correct date. Do not use date paid to plus one, the correct date of the care change must be used.

On the losing carer's record:

• on FTB Shared Care (FSC) screen, update existing shared care percentage from date care changed
• on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen, update existing shared care percentage and Principal Carer indicator from date care changed

Note: if in receipt of PPS no longer principal carer of the child, and the DOV coded on SSA Shared Care (SSC) screen is prior to 2 March 2024, on the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen code OTN from date care changed.

Child changes recorded on 1 customer's record will ripple to other customers linked to the child

• if the customer is in a different environment, swap to that environment to code the changes
• The child's home environment can be determined by conducting an index search for the child via the Name Search (IN) screen. The National Index Name Search (IL) screen will then indicate which environment the child's record is located in. Action the transfer of child record when the following coding is completed

If the losing carer:

• Is not in receipt of a payment (includes ISP that attracts ‘with child rate’) for the relevant child, updates to the record should not be made. DOC the record
• Is in receipt of an ISP that attracts the ‘with child rate’ for the relevant child, check PCCD screen
• Does not have an existing Centrelink record, updates cannot be made. Do not create a record for the purpose of a DOC. The gaining carer’s DOC should advise the losing carer did not have an existing Centrelink record

Record on a DOC:

• the customer was sent a Q810 and FA012 on [date] to confirm the change of care
• the customer failed to respond by [date]
• phone contact was attempted on [date] and [date]
• contacts was unsuccessful, therefore [child/ren(s) names] care has been reassessed on available evidence from [date]

Update the gaining carer's record. Note: do not grant/reassess the gaining carer until there is enough evidence to support the decision.

Go to Step 10.

All disagreed care assessments and updates are completed by Integrated Care skilled staff within Child Support Smart Centres (CSSC). Once evidence is returned or the activity/claim becomes 'DUE', this will be allocated to Integrated Care skilled staff.

Put work item on hold and hand-off to Integrated Care (INC) skilled staff:

• Where there is an existing work item (i.e. claim activity), place the work item on hold for 14 days, allowing extra time for mail delivery and add the keyword 'DISAGREE'
• Where there is no activity, in Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows (this includes where evidence has been requested when actioning FA012s):
• Service Reason: FTB
• Review Reason: CCC (Child in customer care)
• Due Date: 14 days from date evidence requested, allow extra time for mail delivery
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: 'Gaining/Losing Carer has been requested to provide evidence, by xx/xx/xxxx. Check response and return to OB 007-02040010 for action.'
• Keyword: DISAGREE
• Workgroup: leave blank
• Position: leave blank
• Transfer to Region: leave blank
• The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action
• Where actioning an FA012, the scanned document work item will need to be completed, see Viewing Centrelink customers' digital images
• Ensure all details including the due date are provided within Fast Note on all parties’ records. Select Auto text. Use Families > Enquiry > Shared Care Evidence DUE DATE
• Create a DOA DOC using Fast Note on all parties’ records, with an expiry date of 28 days. Select Auto text. Use Families > Enquiry > Disagreed Care in Progress
• Once evidence is returned or the activity/claim becomes DUE, this will be allocated to an Integrated Care trained Service Officer

Note: the work item does not need to be re-categorised, as by adding the 'DISAGREE' keyword, it will automatically flow to Integrated Care trained staff.

For customers who are experiencing financial hardship or are a family in crisis and request urgent finalisation of the care arrangements:

• A request for urgent activity finalisation for Disagreement of care arrangements cannot be made before the request for evidence due date
• Use Fast Note to make an urgent request. Select Auto Text. Use > Families > Enquiry >Disagree Care Urgent Esc.
  Note: the Disagree Care Urgent Esc auto text automatically adds the keywords 'URGENT' and 'DISAGREE'.

Centrelink staff, procedure ends here.

Integrated Care skilled staff (CSSC), go to Step 8.

This step should only be undertaken by Child Support staff trained in Integrated Care.

Compare available evidence and identify areas of disagreement. Phone each carer to discuss the discrepancies and give them the opportunity to respond.

Is care agreed after discussion?

• Yes, see Step 1 in the Coding shared care arrangements table of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). Procedure ends here
• No:
• If further information will not be provided, or all parties cannot be contacted, go to Step 9
• If a carer indicates they can provide additional supporting evidence, request it be provided within 7 days
• Let customers know about online lodgement of documents
• Place work item on hold for 15 days (22 days for remote or overseas customers) to allow mailing time
• Document the discussion, care information, and when further evidence is due
• Once the work item becomes due, make a care determination based on the available evidence. Go to Step 9

• Yes, see Step 1 in the Coding shared care arrangements table of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). Procedure ends here
• No, if a care decision cannot be made as the evidence is inconclusive, reject the care decision:
• Document the records with the reason for this decision. Ensure the DOC covers the reasons for the assessment outcomes, how the information was received, if a manual advice was sent and other relevant information. Note: if the other party does not have a record, do not create a record for the purpose of a DOC
• Issue a Q999 letter to the customer and/or other carer, including the reason for the outcome and the review and appeal rights. The Resources page contains approved text for the Q999 letter
• Cancel any associated review activities
• Assess any claim pending as ‘NEF’ (not effective), as not all required information has been provided. See Not effective, rejection, or withdrawal of claim for Family Tax Benefit or Stillborn Baby Payment
• If either carer is in receipt of an Income Support payment, their entitlement may be affected by the change in care. Consider if cancellation, suspension or update is appropriate. See Principal carer of a dependent child
• If the child is attracting Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance, appropriately trained carer staff will still need to complete a reassessment of eligibility. Use Fast Note to send a request for the Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance eligibility to be checked by appropriately trained staff. Select Auto text. Use Families > Updates > CA/CP referral-check eligibility
• Procedure ends here

Is the claimant a step-parent?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 12

Note: where FTB is transferred out to partner (TOP is coded on the Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen - from parent to step-parent) and the customer is a Centrelink and Child Support mutual customer, these records are to be referred for investigation. See the Process page of Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for further details of the workaround and text for DOCs.

Complete the following coding.

If the child is a customer, record updates on the child's record. The updates will ripple to each customer record linked to the child. See Ripple manager consequences.

If the child is in a different environment, swap to that environment to code the changes.

Attempting to code an increase in care that will result in greater than 100% combined care will result in an error on the FSC and SSC screens and prevent the Service Officer from completing the coding.

If an increase in care has been advised by a customer, assess and code shared care (on the FSC and SSC screens) for each carer separately in separate activities. The details for the customer with the reduction in care percentage MUST be coded first, followed by the customer with the increase in care percentage.

If the current partner of the parent (step-parent) will receive FTB for the child:

• On the parent's record, select the child from the Child Selection (CHS) screen and navigate to:
• For increase in care, the Customer Care (CHC) screen. Code 'ICC' (In customer care) in the Care Status: field using the correct Date of Event (DOV), being the date the new care arrangements commenced, and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• FTB Shared Care (FSC) screen. Code the new care percentage using the correct Date of Event (DOV), being the date the new care arrangements commenced and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• Social Security Act Shared Care (SSC) screen (if the parent/step-parent is on an income support payment). If the partner is the principal carer, code the parent as 0%). See Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination for details on how to make a Principal care determination
• Care Alignment Details (!CADDS) screen. change the provisional line with the corresponding notification date to 'Finalised' for both an increase or decrease in care
• Child Override/Claim (CHOC) screen. Code 'TOP' (Transfer Out to Partner)
• On the step-parent's (claimant's) record:
• Update the CHC screen for increase in care. Check child is recorded as in customer's care. If not, code 'ICC' (In customer care) in the Care Status: field using the correct Date of Event (DOV), being the date the new care arrangements commenced, and the correct DOR when applying care decisions
• SSC and PCCD screens (when current on income support payment). See Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination for details on how to make a Principal care determination
• CHOC screen - code 'CLM' (Claim)
• Create a DOC on the record using Fast Note: Select Auto text. Use Families > Updates > Change in CHILD - Shared Care
• Check and complete the activity

Note: if Carer Allowance (CA) is current or assessed as eligible with change of care circumstances see, Changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA).

Procedure ends here.

Complete the following coding on the claimant's record.

If the child is a customer, record updates on the child's record. The updates will ripple to each customer record linked to the child. See Ripple manager consequences.

If the child is in a different environment, swap to that environment to code the changes.

Attempting to code an increase in care that will result in greater than 100% combined care will result in an error on the FSC and SSC screens and prevent the Service Officer from completing the coding.

Where an increase in care has been advised by a customer, assess and code shared care (on the FSC and SSC screens) for each carer separately in separate activities. See Notification and assessment of shared care arrangements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB). The details for the customer with the reduction in care percentage must be coded first, followed by the customer with the increase in care percentage.

Select the child from the Child Selection (CHS) screen and navigate to the:

• FTB Shared Care (FSC) screen, code the new care percentage with:
• Date of Event (DOV) as the date the new care arrangements started, and
• Correct DOR when applying care decisions. Note: if the change is a reduction that has not been confirmed with the other carer, code preliminary indicator as 'Y'. Once evidence is supplied and the care change is finalised, update the preliminary indicator to 'N'
• Social Security Act Shared Care (SSC) screen, code the new care percentage and Principal Carer indicator with DOV as the date the new care arrangements started for every ISP current customer
• Note: for income support payment customers, if the new care percentage is between 46- 54%, do not change the principal care status
  Smart Centre staff trained in Shared care assessments, see Shared care for income support payments and principal carer determination to make principal carer determination where care is considered equal (less than 10% difference).
  All other staff - refer details using Fast Note. Select Auto Text. Use Families > Updates > Principal Carer Determination Required
• If SSC screen has not been previously coded, update the screen with the care percentage and principal carer indicator
• Care Alignment Details (!CADDS) screen, change the provisional line with the corresponding notification date to 'Finalised' for both an increase or decrease in care
• Complete the activity and use Fast Note to create a DOC on the record: Select Auto text. Use Families > Updates > Shared Care Decision
• If the care assessment has been confirmed and the updates have been applied to the claimant and other carer's record, issue letters to both the customer and other carer with principal carer decision using the Child - Change in Care Arrangements script
• If Carer Allowance (CA) is current or assessed as eligible with change of care circumstances see, Changes to shared care for Carer Allowance (CA)