Principal carer participation and eligibility interview or notification for youngest child 15 years and 9 months Service Update 102-01130010

From 1 July 2021, Service Profiling appointments were replaced by notifications for customers who will be subject to mutual obligation requirements due to the age of their youngest child. These notifications are sent via the customers preferred channel and outline upcoming mutual obligation requirements and the Compulsory Participation Appointment. These changes do not affect Remote Customers, who are Centrelink Managed, as they will continue to be serviced as per current arrangements.

The Service Update is no longer applicable for all job seekers who are Provider Managed as of the 1July 2021.

During a transition period, appointments booked on or after the 1 July 2021 by the service profiler will still need to be conducted (this includes rescheduling if required).

All briefing interviews will be offered as a phone interview as the preferred channel for delivering this information.

All customers should be encouraged to attend their interview as they will receive important information about changes to their payment eligibility and/or mutual obligation requirements.

Customers may have their payment suspended for non-attendance at the interview.

Except for remote area customers, the system will automatically book an appointment for the customer.

The priorities of customer groups are:

• Customers who are not connected to an Employment Services Provider and are not currently working or participating in an activity
• Customers who are not connected to a provider and are working or participating in an activity

Customers who are provider managed should have their Job Plan negotiated by their provider.

The briefing interview is to cover the following information:

• Inform customer of mutual obligation requirements when youngest child turns 16 years old
• Discuss mutual obligation requirements
• Discuss the benefits of participation:
• higher income
• improved prospects for their children
• self sufficiency
• higher self esteem
• income taper
• Advise of support available for example, Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) etc.
• Discuss their reporting and contact obligations
• Ensure that the customer understands the flexibility of their participation arrangements will cease and that they will have standard full-time mutual obligation requirements that will be negotiated at a compulsory interview when their child turns 16 years of age
• Advise when next contact with Services Australia is required
• Advise of requirement to negotiate a Job Plan with their provider (if provider managed)