Transfer of information between Centrelink and Child Support 277-51130110

Information can be exchanged between Centrelink and Child Support only in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Privacy Act 1988, Social Security Law, Family Assistance Law and other relevant legislation, and is necessary to allow Centrelink or Child Support to fulfil their legislative requirements.

For customers matched via the mutual customer matching process, data is transferred electronically between Centrelink and Child Support.

Child Support can provide information to Centrelink for administration of Family Assistance and Social Security Law. Typically, information about child support entitlement and child support disbursements for mutual customers is provided to administer the Maintenance Action Test (MAT) and Maintenance Income Test for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A. This information is transferred to Centrelink in the entitlement file and the disbursement file.

Information can be disclosed in accordance with the Centrelink and Child Support 2016 Governance Agreement.

Customers may contact Centrelink to notify that a care change has been processed by Child Support but has not yet been updated by Centrelink. In these cases, confirm the care details directly with Child Support in the first instance. A known issue may arise with the data exchange if the FTB claimant is the step-parent (partnered to a biological parent). The issue arises when Child Support update the care details for the biological parent but no data transfer occurs because the biological parent is not a mutual customer.

If:

• a customer contacts Services Australia about an issue concerning the Child Support data exchange, or
• staff identify any potential issues with the data exchange, including issues relating to review of care decisions

Create a Fast Note (region code CSJ). For Alignment of Care enquiries use the Alignment of Care Fast Note or for child support case issues use the Maintenance Enquiry Fast Note.

The Process page contains information about the Electronic transfer of information process.

Data exchange system issues must be referred by a Service Support Officer (SSO) to the National ICT Referral Process, and not directly to the ICT Service Desk. The Resources page has a link to more information.

A mutual customer can notify either Centrelink or Child Support of changes to their care arrangements. This process streamlines customer contact. The care information will be transferred between Centrelink and Child Support to assess family assistance and child support entitlements.

Child Support will provide advice to Centrelink:

• when a customer with a child support assessment has their entitlement suspended
• about agreements that are accepted, as well as those agreements that are rejected

Centrelink is required to disclose information to Child Support to allow for the administration of child support law governing registration, assessment and collection of child support. Centrelink transmits to Child Support in the daily file certain changes in circumstances and information relating to deductions to collect child support from social security and FTB payments.

If information is not exchanged electronically, protocols exist between Centrelink and Child Support to allow for other information to be requested.

Service Officers need to be aware of the Centrelink process and action relating to child support.

This measure:

• was implemented 1 July 2010, and 3 March 2011 for WA Ex-Nuptial cases, and
• provides for a single determination of care for both child support and Family Tax Benefit (FTB) purposes

Aligning the care determination provides for consistency in decisions for customers dealing with the agency. Applying a single care determination for both child support and FTB purposes also reduces duplication of processes and decisions. The care information is automatically transferred between Centrelink and Child Support to assess family assistance and child support entitlements, thereby removing the need for customers to notify changes of care twice. Further to this, a customer can seek a review of a care percentage decisions that has been aligned by contacting either Centrelink or Child Support. Generally, the program that made the original decision will undertake the review. See Review of care decisions for further details.

The Resources page contains examples of when the care determination will and will not align.

For Child Support contact details for customers, see Child Support.