Mandatory review when child leaves young person's care

When the last child of a young person aged 16 to 19 leaves their care, MSD must do a mandatory review to determine if they meet the Parental Assistance Test from the effective date of the change.

The only exception is when MSD is advised of the change on or after the effective date. When this happens, MSD must determine if the young person meets the Parental Assistance Test, but the mandatory review does not apply.

Note if the child left care because of a sudden change beyond the young person's control, different mandatory review rules apply.

If possible, MSD must notify the young person of the review and the information they need to provide at least 20 working days before the effective date.

MSD does not have to notify the young person if Jobseeker Support Student Hardship is suspended or expired for another reason when the notice would usually be sent. Notice may be sent if the benefit is or will be resumed within 20 working days after the effective date and there is enough time for the young person to provide the information.

When the young person does not provide the information for the review before the effective date:

• Jobseeker Support Student Hardship must be suspended from the effective date if the young person is the primary client or
• the young person must be excluded from Jobseeker Support Student Hardship from the effective date if they are the included partner

If the young person provides the information within 8 weeks of the effective date, MSD must complete the mandatory review. However, if the primary client has not provided the information within 8 weeks after the effective date, MSD must cancel Jobseeker Support Student Hardship from that date.

The mandatory review is complete when MSD has:

• received the information needed for the review
• decided whether the young person meets the Parental Assistance Test
• determined their entitlement to and rate of Jobseeker Support Student Hardship and
• actioned the outcome of the review

The action MSD must take depends on who the Parental Assistance Test applies to and who meets it.

Primary client is the only young person

If the primary client is the young person and they meet the Parental Assistance Test and are eligible for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship, MSD must continue or resume it from the effective date.

If they do not meet the Parental Assistance Test, their Jobseeker Support Student Hardship must be cancelled from the effective date. Their partner can apply and may not have an initial stand down.

Partner is the only young person

If the partner is the young person and they meet the Parental Assistance Test, MSD must pay Jobseeker Support Student Hardship at the couple rate.

If they do not meet the Parental Assistance Test, they must be excluded from Jobseeker Support Student Hardship from the effective date.

Primary and partner are both young people

If the primary client and their partner are young people and both meet the Parental Assistance Test and are eligible for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship, MSD must continue or resume it from the effective date.

If only the primary client meets the Parental Assistance Test, the partner must be excluded from the effective date.

If the primary client does not meet the Parental Assistance Test, Jobseeker Support Student Hardship must be cancelled from the effective date. If their partner meets the Parental Assistance Test, they can apply may not have initial stand down.

Note if the primary client is 16 or 17 years old and their 18 or 19 year old partner does not meet the Parental Assistance Test, the test no longer applies to the primary client even if they did not meet the test.