Child leaves sole parents care suddenly
When a child stops being a dependent child for a sole parent because of a sudden change of circumstances beyond the control of the client, payment of Child Disability Allowance should continue for 28 days following the date the child stopped being dependent.
Child turns 18
Generally, clients getting Child Disability Allowance must respond to their notice before the child's 18th birthday or Child Disability Allowance for the child will stop.
If Child Disability Allowance is continuing at the existing rate for 28 days because a child has left a sole parent's care suddenly, and that child turns 18 during that period, the client is not required to respond to the notice and Child Disability Allowance will not stop during that period.
However, if Child Disability Allowance is continuing at the existing rate for 28 days because a child has left a sole parent's care suddenly, and a different child in their care (that Child Disability Allowance is paid for) turns 18, the client must respond to the notice, or Child Disability Allowance for the 18-year-old will stop.
Care and protection concerns
If MSD believes any child has been, or is likely to be harmed (physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, deprived or MSD has concerns about the wellbeing of the child, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.
For more information see:
- Change of caregiver
- Core policy Care and protection concerns for a child or young person
- Core policy Child turns 18
Legislation
- exception (definition) section 103A Social Security Act 2018
- Discretionary review of entitlement to, or rate of, benefit granted subpart 3 part 6, Social Security Act 2018
