The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

11.3.5.10 Start date for income management under the Child Protection Measure

Start date for income management

A person's start date for income management will be the date of the initial interview and income management will apply from the first pay day following this interview. If the person is already subject to income management under another measure (excluding the Cape York Reforms) they would transfer from that measure to the Child Protection Measure (11.1.1.40) and their income managed payments would be income managed at a rate of 70% from that date.

At the initial interview the delegate will consider any priority needs that the child protection worker has identified in the written notice as a primary issue. The delegate will also consider other priority needs in setting up the initial allocations of the person's income managed funds, including the needs of other children and the situation of the relevant household.

Example: Tracey is income managed under the Child Protection Measure. The child protection authority has advised the delegate that the priority expenditure should be food, rent and asthma medication for Tracey's child. The delegate will discuss with Tracey her other priority needs (such as housing, utilities) and work out a plan that, as far as possible, accommodates all these needs. The delegate will explain the process of income management and refer Tracey to financial counselling and or money management services (if a referral has not already been made by the child protection authority).

If a person is already subject to income management and has allocations to priority needs already established, the delegate will review these allocations and consider any priority needs that the child protection worker has identified.

In some situations there will be a number of other adults and children living in the household with the person identified for income management by the child protection worker. The priority needs of other adults and children in the household who are not dependants of the person should not be included in the income management allocations, unless the person referred is receiving payments for these children.

Example: Taliah lives with her friend Mary. Taliah is the mother of 4 children and Mary is the mother of 3 children. Taliah is referred by the child protection authority for income management.

In discussions with the delegate, Taliah raises the fact that she pays all the rent, and pays for food for all 7 children, as Mary has no source of income. In determining the allocations to be made from Taliah's income managed funds, the delegate should only take into account priority needs for Taliah and her children. The delegate should also raise with the child protection authority the living arrangements of the household.

The delegate can consider the resource sharing arrangements of a person's household in making allocations, provided that the priority needs of the children and other dependants of the income managed person are being met. The delegate will also consider whether any other adults in the household are subject to income management (11.1.7.40).

If the initial face-to-face interview is unable to be held within 14 days, the delay is to be discussed with the child protection worker. The delegate, in discussion with the child protection worker, will decide whether to commence income management via phone contact or wait for the next available face-to-face contact.

If income management for the person is commenced via phone contact, the delegate will arrange a face-to-face interview as soon as possible to review the person's allocations and ensure that they fully understand the income management process.

Following the initial interview the delegate will forward details of the person's commencement and end dates for income management and a list of determined allocations, to the child protection worker, and DVA if applicable. The delegate will also advise of the mid-point and final review dates. The delegate will also offer a referral to the person for financial management services, if the person has not already accessed these services.

If the person is not already subject to income management and fails to attend the initial interview, income management will automatically commence from the date of the scheduled interview. Income managed funds will be withdrawn from the person's welfare payments from the first pay day after the set appointment time. No allocations can be made until the person contacts the delegate. However, the delegate does have the ability to convert any current Centrepay deductions that meet a priority need to an income management allocation.

If a person is already subject to income management and fails to attend the initial interview to transition to the Child Protection Measure, their current income management allocations will continue and an additional 20% of their total eligible payments will become subject to income management from the first pay day after the set appointment time. The additional 20% will not be allocated until the person contacts the delegate.

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