Caring for a child with special needs

A young person can be exempt from some or all of their activity obligations if they are the principal caregiver of a dependent child or the foster parent of a foster child with special needs whose welfare would be unduly harmed if the young person attended education, training or work-based learning and for whom alternative care arrangements are not available, or are unable to be made.

The child must have a:

• physical or intellectual disability
• health condition
• chronic or recurring illness
• learning or behavioural difficulty
• be unable to attend childcare, school or other alternative care on a regular basis or
• be a foster child, aged 1 year or older, who is adjusting to a placement with a new foster carer

This can be a full or partial exemption.

The young person must provide written proof from a health professional or social worker stating:

• what the child's illness is and its likely duration or
• an assessment of the child's behavioural difficulty and
• the need for full-time care
• the risk to the child if the young person is required to meet their activity obligations and
• that the child is unable to attend childcare, school or another alternative care arrangement

Note you should also consider eligibility to Child Disability Allowance but receipt of Child Disability Allowance alone does not meet the criteria for this exemption.

This exemption can be granted for up to 12 months.

This exemption should then be reviewed. At the review you should discuss the young person's circumstances and consider whether it is appropriate to extend the exemption for a further period. You can ask the young person to provide proof that their exemption should be extended.

If the young person is receiving an incentive payment and then qualifies for an exemption you will need to decide if they can continue to receive it.

For more information see:

• Full or partial exemptions
• Child Disability Allowance
• Obligations Incentive payments can continue