11.1.14.40 Exemptions from Income Management for People with under School-age Children

Introduction

The following should be applied in relation to people with children under compulsory school age:

the person or the child participating in the required number and kind of activities, as set out in a legislative instrument. These activities may relate to a child's intellectual, physical or social development.

The person must have also demonstrated that they were not financially vulnerable during the previous 12 months (11.1.14.30).

Only a designated principal carer may apply for a responsible parenting category exemption.

Activities for under school-aged children & their carers

If a dependent child is under compulsory school age, the person (the parent or carer) or the child must be participating in the required number and kind of activities specified in a legislative instrument by the Minister (see below). The activities must relate to either health and/or engagement.

Group 1: Health

Requirements are that:

the child has received the age appropriate level of immunisation in accordance with FAAct section 6. This schedules immunisations at: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 4 years. OR:
- a child has a medical reason not to have a particular vaccination,
- a child has had a disease and has a natural immunity,
- a particular vaccine is unavailable,
- a child is on a 'catch-up' vaccination schedule for a reason, or
- a formal conscientious objection has been registered if a parent has a personal, philosophical, religious or medical belief that their child should not be immunised. A conscientious objection form can be lodged with the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) using a form available from Medicare, or from the ACIR and Medicare websites.

the child has received regular child health and development checks as set out in the personal health and immunisation record as published by the Northern Territory Government. The personal health and immunisation record requires health checks at:
- up to 10 days,
- 4 weeks,
- 2 months,
- 6 - 8 months,
- 12 months,
- 18 months,
- 2 years 6 months,
- 3 - 4 years.
participation in a program of speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy or other approved therapy, as evidenced by documentation from an allied health professional (participation in this case means reasonable participation, as assessed by the allied health professional).

Evidence can be obtained from health clinics, maternal and child health services, doctors and specialists. Documents considered evidence may include:

the personal health and immunisation record,
the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families Healthcare Details - Exemptions from income management form,
a letter from a health professional,
a statement from Medicare Australia, or
other appropriate documents, subject to the delegate's consideration.

The person may subsequently apply for an exemption by providing evidence that the child has had immunisations (including catch up immunisations where required) relevant to the current age of the child, and the child has received all required health and development checks in the previous 12 months.

Evidence of an immunisation does not equal evidence of a health and development check. Separate evidence must be obtained for each criterion for it to be accepted.

Group 2: Engagement

Requirements are that:

Child is participating in approved child care for at least 8 hours per week. Approved child care is child care that has been approved by the Government for CCB. The following are approved:
- long day care,
- family day care,
- occasional care,
- in home care.
Child is attending preschool.
Child is engaged in age appropriate socialisation, learning, or physical activities, including kinder gym, creche and playgroup.
Child is enrolled in, and regularly attending, school (this is intended to cover children who are still under compulsory school age, but are enrolled in/attending school).

For formal activities such as preschool and child care, suitable evidence would be a letter from the service provider stating the child is enrolled and attending the activity regularly.

For informal activities such as kinder gym, creche and playgroups verbal confirmation from the person seeking the exemption is generally sufficient.

Participation in approved child care can be confirmed by Centrelink by matching CCB records.

If suitable evidence cannot be obtained, as a last resort, the delegate will take steps to confirm that requirements have been met, such as contacting the providers by phone.

Number & type of activities required

The requirements for parents seeking an exemption from income management are as follows:

for children aged under 36 months, at least 2 activities from the health group,
for children between 36 months and 48 months, at least 2 activities from the health group and one activity from the engagement group,
for children aged 48 months and over (who are below compulsory school age):
- 2 activities from the health group, and
- regular participation in preschool or 2 other activities from the engagement group. The 2 activities cannot be from the one requirement, i.e. from the 'age appropriate socialisation, learning or physical activities' category. To fulfil this criterion, a more formal activity such as preschool, care or school must be undertaken,
for children aged 48 months and over (who are below compulsory school age), who are enrolled in and attending school, exemption criteria must be met from 11.1.14.50.

Special circumstances

In cases where a child under compulsory school age has significant disabilities, 3 activities from group 1 would be appropriate, due to the difficulty of finding appropriately supported social activities. Evidence of significant disabilities would need to be provided to Centrelink in the form of a practitioner's certificate.

Example 1: Pearl is in receipt of PPS and is being income managed under the Long-term Welfare Payment Recipient Measure. Pearl has a 2 year old son, Jackson. She applies for an exemption from income management and the delegate determines that she is not financially vulnerable. Pearl provides Jackson's personal health and immunisation record, which has a record of Jackson's regular health and development checks at the local clinic. It also has a record of Jackson's immunisations. Based on this information, Pearl is granted an exemption from income management.

Example 2: Wendy is in receipt of PPP and is being income managed under the Disengaged Youth Measure. Wendy has a 3 year old daughter named Skye. Wendy applies for an exemption from income management and the delegate determines she is not financially vulnerable. Wendy has made sure Skye is up-to-date with her immunisations and health and development checks and this information is recorded in her personal health and immunisation record. Wendy reports to Centrelink that she has been taking Skye to a regular, informal playgroup twice a week that has been set up by a group of young mothers who meet in the park for several hours while their children play together. Based on this information Wendy is granted an exemption from income management.

Example 3: Kurt is receiving PPS and is being income managed under the Long Term Welfare Payment Recipient Measure. Kurt is the dependent carer for 2 children, Troy (aged 15 months) and Barnaby (aged 1 month). Kurt has applied for an exemption from income management and the delegate determines that he is not financially vulnerable. Barnaby is up-to-date with his immunisations and health and development checks but Troy is not. Troy has received all age appropriate immunisations but has not received all required health and development checks in the previous 12 months. Troy received a 4 month and 12 month health and development check but missed the 6 - 8 month health and development check. In this situation Kurt is not granted an exemption from income management. When Kurt reapplies for an exemption 6 months later, he is able to demonstrate that Troy, who is now 21 months, has received all age appropriate health checks from the previous 12 months. Barnaby is still up-to-date with his health and development checks and immunisations. Based on this information Kurt is granted an exemption.

Example 4: Victor is receiving PPS and is being income managed under the Disengaged Youth Measure. Victor has 2 children, Sherry (aged 14) and Owen (aged 3). Victor has applied for an exemption from income management and the delegate determines that he is not financially vulnerable. Victor is able to demonstrate that Owen has had all required health and development checks and immunisations and reports that he is also attending kinder gym once a week. Sherry has been truanting from school and has 10 unauthorised absences in the previous school term according to her school report. Based on this information Victor is not granted an exemption.

Purpose of requiring health, development & engagement activities

There is no requirement under law for children under school age to attend preschool, child care or other early learning activities, and many children do not attend formal activities while still infants. While it is not compulsory to send children to school, preschool or child care, there is evidence that children benefit from social interactions prior to formal schooling and associated parental engagement.

Increased attendance by vulnerable children in quality early childhood education and care is associated with increased participation in education, positive social behaviours in school and later life, higher educational achievement and often higher returns on investment than remedial interventions later in life.

Medical check-ups are also not compulsory, but are highly recommended and can be considered an indicator of responsible, engaged parenting.

The purpose of requiring engagement in certain activities is not to enforce mandatory requirements but rather to promote additional activities and efforts for children.

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Last reviewed: 3 January 2012

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