Assessing itinerant family for ABSTUDY away from home rate 010-02060110

Has the customer been approved for the Away from Home rate (due to itinerant family) in the previous year?

• Yes, the Away from Home rate may be approved if conditions are continuing in the current year and the other Living Allowance eligibility conditions are met. Note: the customer must still provide a statement of the family's projected itinerancy for the forthcoming year and itinerancy over the previous twelve months with their claim. Go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 2

Does the parent/guardian(s) occupation:

• require them to spend at least 40 weeknights during the calendar year travelling long distances, and as a result the children have no fixed residence, or
• involve frequent, lengthy travel and the student is denied access to appropriate schooling because the parent/guardian(s) are not normally resident to a fixed location during the school week, for example, sole parent is a truck driver?

If the student has 2 parents or guardians, both need to be itinerant for the student to be eligible.

Any claim that the student's family have moved to a new locality must be supported by written evidence such as a statement by a new employer. Alternatively, verify that parents have registered for employment/ Department of Social Services (DSS) benefits at the new locality.

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, advise the applicant:
• the claim that the family is itinerant will be examined in the light of moves actually made during the course of the school year, with the first review of the situation to take place at the end of the current term
• the applicant should notify Services Australia at the end of the term of moves actually made - this notification should be sent earlier if 3 moves occur before the end of term
• any decision on whether or not to place the student in a boarding situation in the meantime should not be based on an assumption that the family will be accepted as itinerant and that Living Allowance at the Away from Home rate will be payable

When the claim has been received, check the circumstances of the moves to ensure the Away from Home rate is payable.

Examples include:

• Family has been constantly moving
• Family has moved temporarily for employment
• Family has been temporarily residing in the locality in which the eligible student(s) are boarding

If the customer has had:

• 2 moves in the first term
  If the family undertakes 2 moves that require a change of school for the student, the family may be accepted as itinerant for that period and the first term payment may be made once the second move is verified. Go to Step 4
• 3 or more moves in the first term
  If at least 3 of the moves require a change of school for the student, the family is regarded as itinerant for the full year. The first term payment is to be made immediately upon verification of at least the first 3 moves. Payments for subsequent terms are to be made following the same process. Go to Step 5
• 4 moves over 2 terms
  If the family undertakes 4 moves that require a change of school for the student in the year spread over at least 2 terms, the family may be accepted as itinerant for the full year and Living Allowance at the away rate paid accordingly. Go to Step 5

Advise the applicant that eligibility for the away rate in the remaining terms is still under review and that they should continue to notify Services Australia of family movements.

If at least 1 move occurs during any of the remaining terms, the family should be accepted as itinerant for the full year and further payments made accordingly. If no move occurs during any of the remaining terms, the student will be ineligible for Living Allowance assistance at the Away from Home rate after first term.

Go to Step 7.

A family who has been accepted as itinerant for a year may take up permanent residence during the course of that year at a fixed address which provides access to suitable schooling.

Any student in the family who has been eligible for the Away from Home rate up to that point, remains eligible for the remainder of the year providing continuity of study rules are met, see Assessing continuity of study for ABSTUDY away from home rate.

Go to Step 7.

Evidence must be provided to confirm the parent or guardians occupation. For example payslips, letter from employer or group certificates, and:

• a letter from their employer to confirm their occupation requires them to spend at least 40 weeknights during the calendar year travelling long distances, or
• a letter from their employer to confirm their occupation involves frequent, lengthy travel and they are not normally resident at a fixed location during the school week

The parent/guardian must receive remuneration for the occupation that they are moving around for.

Has acceptable evidence been received to confirm their occupation and travel requirements?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

Customer is eligible for Away from Home entitlements due to itinerate parent(s) or guardian(s).

Complete the following fields on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen to record the approval of Away from Home rate based on the family being itinerant. If there is a previous entry on the NIH screen you will be taken to the NIHS screen. If there is a current entry, this will need to be end-dated before a new line can be entered. Once end-dated, press Enter for a new NIH screen

In the:

• Action field, key ‘AFH’
• Start/Reject Reason field, key either:
• AIF (Family itinerant due to employment)
• AMF (Parents move their principal home frequently)
• Start Date field, key the date from which the Away from Home rate has been granted

No need to code the End Date, End Reason and Consent to Contact fields.

See Coding away from home rate for ABSTUDY for procedures on fully coding a student qualified for Away from Home rate.

Record outcome of decision on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Customer is not eligible for Away from Home entitlements due to itinerant parents or guardians.

Advise the student of the decision (including reasons for the decision). Explain review and appeal rights to the customer. See Making an unfavourable decision.

Record outcome of decision on a DOC.