Change of assessment in special circumstances 277-03120000

Customers can apply to have their assessment changed if their special circumstances are not adequately reflected in their child support assessment. A customer who applies for a Change of Assessment (COA) must apply under one (or more) of the 10 reasons provided for by the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989, see the Child Support Guide 2.6.2: What are the reasons for a change of assessment? Customers must lodge their application on an approved COA application form, see Application to Change your Assessment - Special Circumstances form (CS1970). Customers can lodge their signed COA application by mail, fax or as a signed electronic copy.

Decision Makers (DM) consider COA applications and decide if a change should be made to the assessment. The decision making process involves considering all circumstances of the case and satisfying 3 tests:

• one or more reasons have been established
• it is fair to the children and both parents to change the assessment on the grounds of the established reason(s), and
• it is fair to the community to change the assessment

If any one of these tests is not met, the DM cannot make a change to the assessment.

This procedural instruction provides guidance in managing COA applications including reviewing the application, the initial discussions, finalising the COA application and post decision contact.

Note: the customer who makes the application is referred to as the applicant and the person responding is referred to as the respondent.

Service Officers

Service Officers with the Specialised Assessment Services skill:

• respond to and action inbound COA enquiries
• follow up on Customer Management Approach (CMA) activities for Child Support identified during scheduled phone shifts. Intrays sent by Decision Makers (DM), including collection activities are actioned by SAS Service Officers
• use the COA Initial Discussion macro to document initial conversations with customers
• document all subsequent conversations with customers
• document all conversations with DMs and any action taken in Cuba

Decision Makers (DM)

DMs comprise of internal and external decision makers.

Internal DMs

• lock customers for the duration of the application, unless the customer is managed by a specialist area
• route any CMA issues to the SAS Team allocation pool for action
• complete minimum collection activity
• where available, use information from the initial discussion macro as the start of research into background to customer’s application
• manage customer expectations and address customer needs
• review cross-applications
• perform general system and specialised searches
• send copy of application and response form to respondent (including editing where required)
• edit and exchange correspondence relevant to the COA in line with the Open Exchange of Information (OEI) process
• explain Notice of Decision (NoD) including clarifying the decision where is it not understood or where the customer is dissatisfied with the decision
• process NoD in Cuba, send letters and copy of NoD to customers
• issue and follow up on s161 searches
• document all conversations and any action taken in Cuba
• participate in the resolution of complaints and objections
• provide appropriate feedback to Service Officers in Specialised Assessments regarding the referral of the customer to the COA process

Contracted Decision Maker (CDM)

• manage expectations of customers and address customer needs
• review cross-applications
• where available, use information from the initial discussion macro as the start of research into background to customer’s application
• document all conversations and any action taken in Cuba
• explain NoD to each customer, including clarifying the decision where it is not understood or where the customer is dissatisfied with the decision
• provide appropriate feedback to Service Officers in Specialised Assessments regarding the referral of the customer to the COA process
• participate in the resolution of complaints and objections
• make sure all intrays including CMA are routed to the National CDM Allocation position for action by CDM Support Team Service Officers

CDM Support Service Officer

• edit and exchange correspondence relevant to the COA in progress in line with the OEI process
• process Notice of Decision (NoD) (this includes checking for errors, confirming eligibility screen with CDM, updating formula modifications, sending letters and copy of NoD to customers)
• action specific requests by CDMs that include:
• issue specialised searches
• issue s161s where attributes need updating
• follow up s161 searches
• document all conversations (with customers and DMs) and any action taken in Cuba
• issue general searches
• follow up on CDM activities, including collection activity
• provide CDMs with feedback received from the Intelligence and Investigations Branch when a referral about an allegation of fraud or serious non-compliance has been made