Letters for Child Support customers 277-01060000

Risks to a customer's privacy have been identified. See Separating Safely - protecting personal details to make sure the customer's personal details are safe before progressing.

This document outlines the process for writing to Child Support customers.

Step	Action
1	Decide if a letter is required Write to the customer if: there is a legislative requirement to provide the information in writing it is part of the process required by a procedure there is a restricted service option requiring written correspondence. See the Proposing/reviewing an MSP to include Service Channel Restrictions table in Personalised Services they have requested a statement of reasons contact by phone is unsuccessful and Child Support requires information or evidence from the customer. See Contact with Child Support Customers contact by phone is unsuccessful and Child Support needs to provide information to the customer. For example, to tell them about a variation to their assessment or child support liability, to advise enforcement of a child support debt, or to respond to a request for information Note: do not send 'in-confidence', customer specific or Child Support specific information via external email.
2	Select appropriate letter type Determine which letter type to send: Automated letter - a letter automatically generated by Cuba. Go to Step 3 Manually generated letter - a letter requiring some manual input before it can be issued from Cuba or the Digital Messaging Capability (DMC). Go to Step 4 Local letter - a letter with pre-approved text, issued external to Cuba and the DMC. Only used in specific business processes, as instructed in the relevant procedural instruction. Go to Step 5. Note: this is not a reference to manually generated Cuba or DMC letters that are printed locally For international customers, the UQ45.15 Please contact Services Australia email replaces a contact letter. See Table 5 Unique free text letter - a custom letter issued external to Cuba and the DMC. Only used in limited circumstances, where no other suitable letters or pre-approved text is available. Go to Step 6
3	Automated letter In most instances Cuba will automatically generate a letter to the customer(s) when: eligibility is run a decision is recorded issuing notices the particulars of the assessment change, for example, new income received Check a letter has generated and that it is correct. If an automated letter generates and provides the required information, no further action is required. See Table 7 in Letters Cuba process help. If a customer is registered for a Child Support online account, automated letters are sent via Online Letters. See Using myGov accounts. See the Cuba letter listing for all automated letters available, including Online Letters.
4	Manually generated letter If available, use the appropriate macro to create the letter text. See the Macro letters section on the Operational Blueprint letters and electronic messaging > Child Support > Macro letters subsite. If no macro is available, determine which type of manually generated letter to send: Fill-in fields - system letter requiring specific fields to be completed before the letter generates in Cuba Pre-approved text - pre-approved text is inserted into a request for contact/information (MX1-1) letter or a unique letter. The letter generates in Cuba or the DMC Cuba will only create one letter of each type per customer per day. If more than one manually generated letter is created only the last letter will be stored in Cuba and printed. This does not apply to DMC letters. Fill-in fields This is a manually generated Cuba letter that requires some information (fill-in fields) to be manually input. Send a manually generated letter with fill-in fields if: instructed to do so in a procedure or Cuba Process Help module there is no suitable automated letter Check for a suitable manually generated letter with fill-in fields in the Letters Details Window Help. Create a letter with fill-in fields if available. Unless specified in the procedural instruction relevant to the process, allow the customer 14 days (28 days for International customers) from the date they receive the letter to respond or provide information. See Table 3 in Letters Cuba Process Help. Check the content is correct and generate the letter. No further action is required. If there is no suitable letter with fill-in fields, see Pre-approved text information below. Pre-approved text Pre-approved text can be inserted into a manually generated Cuba or DMC letter where content is already approved by Services Australia. Insert pre-approved text if: instructed to do so in a procedure or Cuba Process Help there is no suitable automated letter or manually generated letter with fill-in fields Open the pre-approved text from the link in the relevant procedure, Cuba Process Help or pre-approved text list on Child Support or General correspondence If there is no suitable pre-approved text, see Step 6 for Unique Free text Letter information below. If there is suitable pre-approved text, create a manually generated letter using the pre-approved text. For Cuba letters, see Letters Cuba Process Help DMC letters, see Digital Messaging Capability (DMC) – Child Support If sending an MX1-1 letter, see Request for contact/information (MX1-1) letter - preset action text options for preset options. For custom options, see Operational Blueprint letters and electronic messaging > Child Support >Pre-approved letter text > Request for contact/information (MX1-1). Unless specified in the procedural instruction relevant to the process, allow the customer 14 days (28 days for International customers) from the date they receive the letter to respond or provide information. Follow the formatting instructions as directed on the relevant pre-approved text page. Request SO6 approval if the pre-approved text is changed or additional information included. See Table 4 > Step 2. If SO6 approval is not required, check the content is correct and generate the letter. No further action is required.
5	Local print and non-DMC letters Local letters: contain pre-approved text are only used in specific processes are printed locally are not sent through Cuba or the DMC These non-DMC letters will be fully formatted on an official letter template. Staff do not need to add headers or footers. What to check: Complete all {green fields} with appropriate details. Remove brackets { } and change text to black once completed Delete all <red instruction variables>, all symbols, e.g., < > ! or comments within the letter Only use size 11 Roboto font If letter is being sent overseas, include AUSTRALIA in the return address and the recipient’s country in their address If letter is not being sent overseas, remove the text ‘If sending overseas include COUNTRY’ but do not delete the line so the whole letter text moves up a line. The space is needed for the envelope settings If a classification setting appears when you save the document, manually remove the classification setting from both the header and the footer. Do this by double clicking on Official to open the header and footers, highlight the ‘Official’ text. Delete and then Close the tool ribbon Printing instructions: Select Print > Printer properties and change setting to colour The letter includes 2 fold lines. The fold lines make sure the address lines up with the envelope windows Copy and paste the letter into a notepad on the Communication window for recording purposes. See Documentation Cuba process help. See the Resources page for how and when to print or fax letters.
6	Unique free text letter This is a custom letter that requires the content to be composed before the letter is generated outside of Cuba and the DMC. Use free text when: instructed to do so in a procedure or Cuba Process Help there is no suitable automated letter, manually generated letter with fill-in fields or pre-approved text available the customer is seeking reasons why a decision was made, that is, a statement of reasons attempts to contact the customer by phone have been unsuccessful. See Contact with Child Support Customers there is a legislative or administrative requirement to respond to the customer in writing the customer is seeking further clarification about a change of assessment or objection decision. See Change of assessment in special circumstances or Child Support Objections Note: if repeatedly creating the same type of letter using free text for different customers, consider whether that letter should be available as pre-approved text or an automated letter. Discuss the frequency of the approvals requested with your Team Leader and provide feedback through the Forms, Letters and Electronic Messaging Feedback webform. See Table 3 > Step 1.
7	Generate letter The letter or notice must be: issued using the individual letter instructions when using pre-approved text generated in Cuba or the DMC printed centrally, see the How and when to print and/or fax letters table on the Resources page delivered by the agency's external mail contractor, or online if the customer has selected this as their preferred channel Service Officers are not required to provide their name (including surname) or contact details unless instructed by a procedure, Cuba Process Help or instructions for pre-approved text. This is to ensure that calls or enquiries from customers are appropriately routed, recorded, and reported. Do not physically sign a letter (unless this is part of an approved business process). Letters issued through Cuba will automatically have the appropriate signature block. DMC letter templates will indicate what signature block to use. Once the letter has been approved by a SO6, print it centrally unless the relevant procedural instruction instructs it to be printed locally. For Cuba letters, see Letters Cuba Process Help DMC letters, see Digital Messaging Capability (DMC) – Child Support Note: if a letter is printed locally, it must be printed on the approved Services Australia - Child Support letterhead paper to ensure it looks the same as centrally printed letters. This does not apply to DMC letters. In limited circumstances, a letter may be issued outside Cuba or the DMC. See the Resources page for how and when to print or fax letters. If the customer asks to get a letter by fax, obtain Team Leader approval before sending. See the Resources page for how and when to fax letters. Do not send 'in-confidence', customer specific or Child Support specific information via external email.
8	Sending a letter to a customer's authorised representative If sending a letter using free text or pre-approved text to the customer's representative create the letter in the representative's record to ensure the appropriate address and salutations are used. The representative's record may be as an organisation or employer, for example, Legal Aid. Access the correct record by searching for the representative's CSID in the List Customer window, not the Organisation List window. See Table 1 in Customer records Cuba Process Help. Preview the letter for accuracy. Note: if the representative is also a customer and an assessment notice is issued with the letter, check that it is the intended customer's assessment details and not the representative's assessment details. For more information, see Child Support representative with ordinary authority and Authenticating a Child Support customer.

Managing a letter from a child of a child support case

Table 2: this table explains how to manage written correspondence received from a child of a child support case.

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Step	Action
1	Check the content of the letter for security/welfare concerns The letter must be escalated to an SO6 or above, to manage in line with the Security incident reporting guidelines, if the: child has raised concerns about their own welfare, or the welfare of other children in the household contents of the letter indicate there is a risk to the child's welfare. See Intranet links on the Resources page for a link to the guidelines. The SO6: will consider: the letter in the context of the criteria set out in the Security incident reporting guidelines; complete a security incident report and alert their manager to the case contacting the police where appropriate should seek assistance from their manager or the Protective Security Team if they are unsure of the appropriate response. See Resources for a link to the Protective Security intranet page for contact details may also seek Technical Support in Child Support if unsure of the appropriate support service or follow up action that should be considered
2	Decide if a letter is required Send a written response to the child if the child is under 18 and the letter is about: their parents' child support case requesting an action to be taken, or if providing evidence in relation to the case or agency process If there is no return address on the child letter, a response cannot be provided. Add a note to the child's Details notepad to record that a letter was received from the child, but no reply could be sent because no return address was provided. If the child has communicated by email, a reply can be sent to that personal email address. If no email is provided, no response is required.
3	Check child's address Usually there will not be any postal address details recorded in Cuba for a child. If satisfied that the child who has sent the letter has been correctly identified, use the return address from the child's letter to add/update their postal address in Cuba.
4	Create a unique letter (locally printed) All letters sent to a child must be: sent as unique letter (locally printed) documented in Cuba on the child's Cuba record, not on a parent's record approved by an SO6 or above before they are sent
5	Seek approval Service Officer and Team Leader/SO6 If the letter writer is an SO6 or above, further approval is not required. Go to Step 7. Service Officers Team Leader/SO6 approval is required for the unique letter to the child, even if only pre-approved text has been used: Create a Pending Approval intray with a due date of 48 hours Route the intray to a Team Leader or approving SO6 or above, asking them to approve the letter. See Intray management Cuba process help
6	Approve letter content (Team Leader/SO6 or above) Check the unique letter to the child to confirm: the Service Officer has applied the formatting rules the content of the letter is appropriate the child raised concerns about their welfare, the letter contains additional support information, as described in Step 1 above If the letter: requires minor changes, update the unique letter, document the approval in the notepad and route the intray back to the owning Service Officer is approved, document the approval in the notepad and route the intray back to the owning Service Officer. See Documentation Cuba process help. is not approved, advise the Service Officer of changes required before the letter can be approved
7	Locally print the approved unique letter (Service Officer) The letter to the child must be printed locally (not centrally). Once the final version of the response to the child is approved by the SO6, print the unique letter locally on the approved Services Australia - Child Support letterhead paper. This ensures it looks the same as a centrally printed letter. An SO6 must check the locally printed letter before it is sent. If the Service Officer and the SO6 are not in the same office, the SO6 should complete this process and let the Service Officer know they have done this. Post the letter locally after an SO6 has checked the letter. Paste a full copy of the unique letter in a notepad on the child’s Communication window for recording purposes. See Documentation Cuba process help.

Creating unique free text letters

Table 3

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Step	Action
1	Conduct Cuba checks Conduct a review of the case to confirm all information prior to drafting a letter using free text. Review Cuba records to source information for content, including: Activity Summary window Case Events window Payer Collection/Capacity to Pay window Case Liability Rates window Communication window entries and notepads CSAonline window any other relevant function window history records and notepad entries letters previously sent to the customer
2	Prepare a draft content To prepare a thorough and logically structured letter consider: purpose of the letter action that has occurred outcome of any action reasons behind the outcome next steps for the customer next steps for Child Support See the Resources page for links to the Digital messaging and letter mandatory standards and better practice guidelines and the Writing Guide for information about the writing style principles to apply. In particular: consider the tone write in plain English keep sentences to an average length of less than two lines write sentences in an active voice. For example, 'We credited a $50.00 private payment to your account' not 'A $50.00 private payment was credited to your account' make the text more personal by using first/second person language (for example, we, us, you, your) avoid using jargon and system abbreviations. For example, use private payments not non-agency payment or NAP, use payment arrangement for arrears not EWA use correct grammar use the present tense where possible include customer's rights where applicable comply with the agency's privacy obligations use Roboto with font size 11
3	Draft content Draft the body of the letter in a Microsoft Word document. Include in the letter: any manual calculations, go to Step 6 accurate technical content, go to Step 7 include a statement of reasons if requested by the customer, go to Step 8 an objection paragraph if the letter relates to a decision to which the customer can object or appeal, go to Step 9 the period for response. Unless specified in the procedural instruction relevant to the process, allow the customer time to respond. See Standard response times
4	Check formatting Follow the formatting rules below for unique free text letters: Only use size 11 font Only use Roboto font See Table 4 > Step 1.
5	Manual calculations Check accounting screens to ensure manual calculations are accurate, including: non agency payments discharge amounts consolidated revenue debts overpayments penalties and fines Clearly and simply explain the calculations
6	Technical content Technical content must be: accurate and comprehensive written in a style that is easy for the customer to understand Check relevant procedural instructions and appropriate chapters in the Child Support Guide to ensure the letter content is accurate. See References for links to the Guide. If a customer advises they are familiar with the Child Support Guide, consider including a reference to the relevant section of the Child Support Guide. If using text from the Child Support Guide reference the source location. Check with a Service Support Officer (SSO) if uncertain about the content or reference. See Technical support in Child support. When inserting text from the Child Support Guide or other resource, use the 'paste special' function. When providing technical content: avoid using legal jargon when referencing legislation try to translate into plain English make reference to particular provisions within the legislation
7	Statement of reasons Reasons for a decision are usually explained over the phone. Sometimes a customer or representative may request the reason for a decision (or a statement of reasons) in writing. A request may be: Informal - either verbal or in writing Formal - a written request which the customer specifies is being made under section13 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (ADJR Act). The ADJR Act provides that persons as described in s13 are entitled to apply to the decision maker for a statement of reasons Requests made under the ADJR Act must be made by the customer within 28 days of receipt of the decision. A written statement of reasons must be provided within 28 days of receiving the request. If Child Support does not respond to the request in this time the customer may seek redress through the courts or lodge a complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman. If the request is made by the customer more than 28 days after receiving the decision, Child Support may, depending on the circumstances, still elect to provide a written statement of reasons Refer ADJR requests to Program Advice for guidance. See Child Support Guide 10.4.7 The Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977. The statement of reasons must include: findings on all material facts - a material fact is one that can affect the outcome of the decision, for example, 'John does have care of Adam for 100 nights'. See Resources for a link to Findings of Fact legislation relevant to the facts or issues in the case evidence upon which each material finding of fact is based that is, detail the evidence that was considered relevant, credible, and significant for example, a diary of care or statements from third parties the actual reasons relied upon by the decision maker at the time of making the decision. Explain the steps in the reasoning process that led to the final decision that is, 'I preferred the evidence of parent A because' the decision that was made
8	Clarification of change of assessment or objection decision Child Support advises customers in writing of the outcome of a change of assessment or objection. If the customer requests further clarification provide this by phone wherever possible. When further written clarification is required for example, the customer has a restricted service option, the letter: must be consistent with the statement of reasons already provided to both parties must not include issues or make suggestions that are outside the scope of the decision if the letter is about a decision that affects both parties, the letter must be provided to both parties without breaching the privacy of either party. See Open exchange of information for Child Support customers

Approval of letters with free text

Table 4

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Step	Action
1	Proofread content Conduct a final review of the draft letter content: Check the content to ensure all information has been included and the information, calculations and figures are correct Correct any spelling and grammar errors Confirm adherence to the agency's privacy obligations Check letter writing guide Check the layout and logical flow of the letter Confirm the use of preferred terms and appropriate language Consider the following questions: Is the letter clear and written in plain English? Does this letter clarify the customer's query and/or assist them to understand what has happened? Does it clearly inform them of their options or what action they need to take? Does the letter inform them of their rights? How would you feel if you received this letter? Ask another staff member to peer review the letter for content, style, and accuracy
2	Seek approval (Service Officer and Team Leader/SO6) Team Leader/SO6 approval is required for: letters using free text letters using pre-approved text where the pre-approved content is changed or additional information included Note: if the letter writer is a SO6 or above further approval is not required. See Table 1 > Step 6.
3	Request Team Leader approval (Service Officer) Cuba unique letter Create and pend the letter with changed pre-approved content or additional information included. DMC letter Create a draft. See Digital Messaging Capability (DMC) – Child Support. Non-DMC letter Create and save the letter in a Microsoft Word document. Create a Pending Approval intray with a due date of 48 hours and route it to the Team Leader (SO6) asking them to approve the draft/pended letter. See Intray management Cuba process help. If the Team Leader is not available, find another Team Leader or SO6.
4	Approve free text (Team Leader/SO6) Check the letter to confirm: a letter with changed pre-approved content, additional information, or using free text is required - are there automated letters or manually generated letters with pre-approved text available for this message which could be sent instead the dates provide the customer with enough time to respond to the letter (taking into account the approval timeframe) the Service Officer has applied the formatting rules. See Table 3 > Step 4 If minor changes are required update the letter, document the approval in the letter notepad and route the intray back to the owning Service Officer. If the letter is approved, document the approval in the letter notepad and route the intray back to the owning Service Officer. See Documentation Cuba process help. If the letter is not approved advise the Service Officer of changes required before the letter can be approved. See Table 1 > Step 6.

Prepare and issue UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email (International Service)

Table 5

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Step	Action
1	International email International Service Officers can draft an email using the UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email template for a customer living overseas, if: the customer is on tracing, and there is a valid email address recorded or provided in new application Do not send confidential, customer specific or Child Support specific information via external email International Services must prepare the email and forward to an APS6 for approval and to issue. Go to Step 2. APS6s must review the email, and issue to the customer. Go to Step 3.
2	Request the email International Service Officers must: Complete all tracing activities before requesting a UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email to be issued to an overseas customer Document: all tracing activities as per Customer Location (tracing) where the email address was located that the request has been sent to an APS6 for review and approval Create a document in the Communication window as follows: Type: ELECTRONIC OUT Reason: REQUEST FOR INF With: CLIENT Category: ASSESSMENT Issue: Other Subject: Please contact email req Text field: Record the information outlined above Prepare the UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email template Send a copy of the prepared email to an APS6 to review, approve, and issue to the customer
3	Review and send the email (APS6 only) An APS6 in International Services must: Check all tracing activities were completed Check there is a valid email address to issue the email to Review the preapproved UQ UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email to make sure it is correct Generate an email in Outlook via the Child Support Overseas mailbox Change the ‘from’ field to ‘Child Support Overseas’ Issue the UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email to the customer Document the following in the customer’s Communication window: Type: ELECTRONIC OUT Reason: REQUEST FOR INF With: CLIENT Category: ASSESSMENT Issue: Other Subject: Please contact email sent Text field: Paste a copy of the sent email

Operational Information

Letters for Child Support customers 277-01060000

On this page:

Sending letters to Child Support customers

Managing a letter from a child of a child support case

Creating unique free text letters

Approval of letters with free text

Prepare and issue UQ45.15 - Please contact Services Australia email (International Service)