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1 |
Q. How do I prove my child went to school for 85% each term?
A. Centrelink will ask the school to provide attendance information directly to Centrelink at the end of each term.
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2 |
Q. The school says my child attended school for 82% in term 3, but I know my child went to school for 85% of that term, can Centrelink talk to the school for me?
A. You will need to talk to the school to resolve this issue. Centrelink will not get involved in attendance disputes between parents and schools. If the school changes the attendance information, they will give the parent new evidence to provide to Centrelink.
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3 |
Q. In term 1, my child went to school for 83% of the term. In term 2 they attended school for 88% of the term. Can these be averaged over 2 terms so I get 2 payments?
A. No, your child needs to achieve 85% in each term to receive payment for that term.
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4 |
Q. If my child attended 80% for a term, can I get a pro-rata amount?
A. No, your child must attend at least 85% in that term to receive the amount. If your child turns 16 during a particular term, you will receive a pro-rata amount based on the period your child was under 16.
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5 |
Q. My child didn’t attend 85% in term 1 2020, but our school was open during term 2 and my child did attend 85% for the term. Am I eligible for the term 3 STA payment based on term 2 attendance?
A. No. The attendance requirement of 85% for qualification for Term 3 STA is based on attendance in term 1 2020.
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6 |
Q. What do I need to do to receive my School Term Allowance?
A. Evidence of attendance is required and Centrelink will receive this information directly from the schools.
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7 |
Q. It is the start of the term and I have not been paid School Term Allowance yet. When will this be paid?
A. At the beginning of the year you will receive the payment for the first term automatically. From now on, we will need evidence to show that your child's attendance at school has been 85% or higher before we can make the following payments. Once the information is received from schools directly, we will assess your child's attendance and make a payment if attendance has been satisfactory. It may take several weeks for this information on attendance to be received and processed.
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8 |
Q. Does this new initiative take into consideration ‘approved’ absences by the school i.e. medical certificates?
A. The initiative only takes into account unapproved absences, i.e, truancy or wagging school.
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9 |
Q. How are ‘approved’ and unapproved’ absences defined?
A. Schools define an unapproved absence as an absence that was not covered by a note from a parent or guardian. So an approved absence is one which was accompanied by a note.
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10 |
Q. How does part day attendance affect the overall attendance?
A. They don't, unless they are unapproved. For example, a student is absent from school after lunch and a note is not produced explaining why.
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11 |
Q. Can the parents provide the evidence from the school if there is a delay in processing the payment? If so, what evidence is accepted?
A. They certainly can. A letter or note from the school - that is, on a school letterhead - signed by a teacher and stating that attendance percentage will suffice.
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12 |
Q. Will an overpayment be raised for term 1 if my child does not attend 85% of the term?
A. No. Overpayments cannot be raised as payments are made on advice. Payment one is automatic and has nothing to do with attendance. It's made to help parents with up-front costs in sending kids to school. The second payment will depend on satisfactory attendance during term one; the third payment depends on satisfactory attendance during term two; and the fourth payment will depend on satisfactory attendance during term three.
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13 |
Q. Previously Centrelink has allowed up to 10 days absence for children moving location, will this rule remain in place thus enabling customers to be eligible for School Term Allowance even if the 10 days absence will reduce the child’s attendance to less than 85%?
A. Yes, the important thing is that the school record shows satisfactory attendance for this period of time.
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