Performance Reporting

Part two

Performance Reporting
Outcome 1 Greater self-reliance and economic, social and community engagement for Indigenous Australians
Outcome 2 Seniors, people with disabilities, carers, youth and women are supported, recognised and encouraged to participate in the community
Outcome 3 Families and children have choices and opportunities
- Output Group 3.1: Support for families
- Output Group 3.2: Child support
Outcome 4 Strong and resilient communities

Output Group 3.2

Child support

Output Group 3.2 contributes to Outcome 3 by helping families adapt to changing economic and social circumstances and take an active part in the community, and by providing services and assistance that help families with the costs of children.

Under this output group, FaHCSIA promotes parental responsibility for the care and financial support of children in separated families. We also undertake research and policy development in relation to child support. Finally, we develop partnerships with and across different levels of government for provision of services that assist in the payment of child support.

Case study

Information sharing to better protect Australia's children

Photo of Information sharing to better protect Australia’s children Case study FaHCSIA, as the lead agency to the Information Sharing Working Group, has worked with state and territory child protection agencies and Commonealth departments to improve the way information is shared to better protect Australia's children. An information sharing protocol between the Commonwealth, state and territory child protection agencies was developed during 2008 and implemented on 1 January 2009.

The development of the protocol was prompted by child protection cases which highlighted the potential for improved information sharing about high-risk families. Improved information sharing can help child protection agencies to locate families where there are concerns about a child's welfare, particularly when families move within and across states and territories.

Centrelink was the first Commonwealth agency to operate under the protocol and received 1950 requests for information in the first half of 2009. Throughout 2009, the protocol, which is used only where it is appropriate and lawful, will be considered for use with other relevant Commonwealth agencies including Medicare Australia and the Child Support Agency.

The Commonwealth has already received positive feedback from Victoria's child protection agency, which noted that the protocol has enabled many families to be located, leading to better case outcomes, and has been particularly useful in helping to locate non-custodial parents when a child has been placed in care.

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Components of Output Group 3.2

Policy Services and Program Management

FaHCSIA oversees and reports to the Government on the impacts of the Child Support Scheme reforms. On 1 July 2008 we introduced a key element of the reforms—a new administrative formula by which child support liabilities are determined. The new formula is based on recent Australian research on the costs of children. It treats both parents' incomes in the same way, better recognises the costs of contact and shared care, and treats children from first and subsequent families equally.

In 2008–09, the Department's focus for the child support reforms has been on: managing issues arising from the implementation of the reforms; helping families, parents and other stakeholders understand the reforms; and monitoring and evaluating the reforms.


Stage 3 of the Child Support Scheme Reforms is implemented in full and on time
Estimate	100%	No variance.
Actual	100%	No variance.
Information about policy intent of the Child Support Scheme Reforms is communicated to key stakeholders to disseminate to child support customers
Estimate	Contracts maintained with key advocacy groups Four meetings of the Child Support National Stakeholder Engagement Group	No variance. One key advocacy group declined the offer of funding after reviewing the terms and conditions set out in FaHCSIA's Funding Agreement.
Actual	Contracts maintained with four key advocacy groups Four meetings of the Child Support National Stakeholder Engagement Group held
Improved evidence base about the child support population including data on impact of the Child Support Scheme Reforms
Estimate	Completion of the Child Support Reform Study Completion of the first wave of the longitudinal study of separated parents (incorporating Child Support questions) Completed analysis of the impacts of the new formula using Child Support and FTB administrative data Additional (and improved) child support questions included in future waves of national longitudinal panel surveys	No variance.
Actual	100%	No variance.
Reduction in FTB as a result of child support obligations being met (via the Maintenance Income Test)
Estimate	$449 million	The variance is +$22 million. The actual figure is a tentative estimate based on previous years' outcomes and adjusted to reflect the expected impact of the Child Support Scheme reforms. It has increased because the previous year outcomes have increased. There is no reconciliation outcome data at this stage with which to gauge the actual impact. The preliminary outcome for 2007–08 is $536 million (based on 12 months of reconciliation), and the final outcome for 2006–07 is $520 million (based on 24 months of reconciliation).
Actual	$471 million

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