OUTCOME 3 F AMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE CHOICES AND ... · OUTCOME 3 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE...

Agency Budget Statements — Outcomes — FaCSIA

OUTCOME 3 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE CHOICES AND OPPORTUNITIES Families and children have choices and opportunities – Services and assistance that: help children have the best possible start to life; promote healthy family relationships; help families adapt to changing economic and social circumstances and take an active part in the community; and assist families with the costs of children.

Description Outcome 3 reflects the government’s commitment to investing in the well-being of Australian children, their families and communities. Recognising the contribution of families to the overall health and well-being of individuals, the department: • assists families to build their capacity and their resilience, including through

supporting and strengthening relationships;

• provides greater choice about participation in the economic and social life of the community and access to financial assistance and services that support those choices;

• builds the community’s knowledge base about the needs, priorities and aspirations of contemporary Australian families;

• develops partnerships with key stakeholders to improve the efficiency of services delivered, identify emerging issues and develop appropriate policy advice; and

• through a whole-of-government approach, assists Indigenous families and communities to build self-reliance and access appropriate services and support.

Contribution of Outputs to Outcome 3 Three output groups under Outcome 3 contribute to meeting the Government’s commitment to help support and strengthen families. The commitment will be delivered through a combination of family-based approaches to services and financial assistance, with an emphasis on strengthening government, community and family partnerships.

Support for Families (Output Group 3.1) will contribute by: • providing income assistance to families to help with the costs of children,

including newborns, in a way that recognises the needs and choices of both single and dual income families;

• helping support and strengthen families through the provision of services to enhance family relationships, to assist in preventing family breakdown and to resolve conflict around separation; and

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• focusing on early childhood (0-5 years of age) through early intervention, prevention and capacity building initiatives to support and strengthen Australian families and working with local communities to identify solutions to their local issues.

Child Support (Output Group 3.2) will contribute by: • promoting parental responsibility for the care and financial support of children

in separated families;

• undertaking research and providing policy advice in relation to child support; and

• developing partnerships within and across levels of government to facilitate the provision of services that assist in the payment of child support.

Child Care Support (Output Group 3.3) will contribute by: • supporting parents to participate in the workforce and in the social life of the

community through assisting families with the cost of child care;

• helping families to balance their work and parenting roles by promoting and supporting the provision of flexible child care services;

• developing and educating children through funding quality child care, quality assurance of child care services and professional development for the child care sector; and

• providing access to early childhood intervention and prevention initiatives for vulnerable families and children through funding quality child care services.

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Figure 9: Outcome 3 and Contributing Outputs

To ta l R e s o u rce s 1 $ 1 8 ,1 2 3 mD e p a rtm e n ta l Ap p ro p ria tio n s 2 $ 5 3 2 mAd m in is te re d Ap p ro p ria tio n s 3 $ 1 7 ,5 9 1 m

D epartm en t a l D epartm en t a lA pp ro p ria t io ns A ppro p ria t io ns

A dm in is te red A dm in is te redA ppro p ria t io ns A ppro p ria t io ns

D epartm en t a lA pp ro p ria t io ns

A dm in is te redA ppro p ria t io ns

$ 92m

$ 1,887m

C h i ld C a r e S u p p o r t

S u p p o r t f o r F a m i l i e s C h i ld S u p p o r t

$ 15,704m

$ 435m $ 5m

$ -

O u t p u t G r o u p 3 .3

O u tco m e 3F a m il ie s a n d ch i ld re n h a ve ch o ice s a n d o p p o rtu n itie s

See T ab le 3 .1 .3 fo r res ourc es

O u t p u t G r o u p 3 .1 O u t p u t G r o u p 3 .2

1. 'Total Resources' includes ‘Departmental and Administered Appropriations’, ‘Non-Directly Appropriated

Expenses’, and ‘Revenue from Other Sources’. 2. ‘Departmental Appropriations’ include ‘Appropriations applicable across Outcome 3'. 3. 'Administered Appropriations' include 'Administered items across Outcome 3'.

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Outcome 3 Resourcing Resourcing for Outcome 3 in 2006-07 is estimated to be $18,123 million.

Policy Initiatives Policy initiatives that will contribute to Outcome 3 are outlined in Table 2.2. New policy initiatives announced prior to the Budget and variations to previously announced measures also contribute to Outcome 3.

Other Resource Variations Table 3.1.3 shows how the 2006-07 Budget appropriations translate to total resourcing for Outcome 3, including administered expenses, revenue from government, revenue from other sources and the total price of outputs.

Departmental appropriations have been reduced to reflect the new Centrelink funding arrangements.

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Table 3.1.3: Total Resources for Outcome 3 Final Budget

Estimates Estimates2005-06 2006-07

$'000 $'000

Output Group 3.1 - Support for Fam ilie sAppropr iation Bill (No. 1)Child A buse Prevention 4,283 4,357Family and Y outh Support (National Illic it Drugs Strategy) 3,195 3,211Family Relationship Services Programme 39,556 52,181Services for Families w ith Children 10,998 7,080Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Family Initiatives 43,904 53,204 Subtotal 101,936 120,033Appropr iation Bill (No. 2)Services for Families w ith Children SPP 383 385Services for Families LGA 164 Subtotal 383 549Spe cial Appropr iationsDouble Orphan Pension 2,706 2,888Family Assistance Scheme 2004 20,075 427Family Tax Benef it 13,750,693 14,497,608Maternity A llow ance 20 -Maternity Immunisation A llow ance 53,609 55,147

846,808 1,027,100 Subtotal 14,673,911 15,583,170

14,776,230 15,703,752Output Group 3.3 - Child Care SupportAppropr iation Bill (No. 1)

21,658 27,340Support f or Child Care 221,534 169,368 Subtotal 243,192 196,708Appropr iation Bill (No. 2)Support f or Child Care SPP 10,865 11,026Children's Serv ices LGA - 58,668 Subtotal 10,865 69,694Spe cial Appropr iationsChild Care Benef it 1,519,602 1,620,820 Subtotal 1,519,602 1,620,820

1,773,659 1,887,222Total Adm inis te re d Appropr iationsA ppropriation Bill (No. 1) 345,128 316,741A ppropriation Bill (No. 2) 11,248 70,243Special A ppropriations 16,193,513 17,203,990

16,549,889 17,590,97416,549,889 17,590,974

-50 --50 -50

ADM INISTERED APPROPRIATIONS

Total Adm inis te re d Appropriations

Total Output Group 3.1

Maternity Payment

Total Adm inis te re d Re s ourcing (A)


Jobs Education and Training Child Care Fee A ssistance(formerly Child Care for Eligible Parents Undergoing Training)

Es tim ate d paym e nts from Spe cial Account Balance sA ustralian Research A lliance Child & Y outh TrustTotal Adm inis te re d Spe cial Account Outflow s

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Table 3.1.3: Total Resources for Outcome 3 (continued) Final Budget

Estimates Estimates2005-06 2006-07

$'000 $'000

Output Group 3.1 - Support for Fam ilie sPolicy Services & Programme Management 30,861 44,907Service Delivery 629,654 390,414

660,515 435,321

Policy Services & Programme Management 3,099 4,509Service Delivery - -

3,099 4,509Output Group 3.3 - Child Care SupportPolicy Services & Programme Management 14,932 21,729Service Delivery 88,127 70,289

103,059 92,018766,673 531,848

Re ve nue from Othe r Source sSection 31 of the FMA Act 1997 668 577

668 577

767,341 532,425- -

17,317,230 18,123,399

Ave rage Staffing Le ve l (units ) 587 610

DEPARTM ENTAL APPROPRIATIONS


(Total price of outputs and administered expenses)

Total Re ve nue from Othe r Source s (C)

Total Pr ice of De partm e ntal Outputs (B+C)(Total revenue f rom Government and f rom other sources)

Total Es tim ate d Re s ourcing for Outcom e 3 (A+B+C)

Output Group 3.2 - Child Support


Total Output Group 3.3Total Re ve nue from Gove rnm e nt (Appropr iations ) (B)

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Measures Affecting Outcome 3 Table 2.2 documents the impact of new measures on Outcome 3 resourcing. These are explained in Section 2, and are:

New Measures • Centrelink – call centre supplementation (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3);

• Child care – Jobs, Education and Training (JET) Child Care fee assistance – continue and extend;

• Child care – uncapping outside school hours care and family day care;

• Child Support Reforms – a new formula;

• Child Support Reforms – aligning income definitions;

• Child Support Reforms – changes to the Family Tax Benefit maintenance arrangements;

• Child Support Reforms – communication strategy;

• Child Support Reforms – external review;

• Child Support Reforms – Family Relationship Centres;

• Child Support Reforms – improving compliance;

• Family Tax Benefit – extending the large family supplement;

• Family Tax Benefit – increase Family Tax Benefit Part A income threshold;

• Fraud and Compliance – enhanced focus on serious social security fraud (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3);

• Fraud and Compliance – improving child care compliance;

• Health and social services access card – introduction (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3;

• Migration Programme – 3,000 additional family stream places for 2005-06 (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3);

• Migration Programme – 4,000 place increase in the family stream for 2006-07 (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3);

• Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) recruitment (part in Outcome 2, part in Outcome 3); and

• Strengthening Indigenous Communities – extending Family Income Management and improving family payment outcomes for Indigenous children (part in Outcome 3, part in Outcome 4).

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Payments and Services Under Outcome 3 Family Assistance Office The Family Assistance Office (FAO) provides families with better access to government payments and services. The FAO delivers the current range of family assistance payments, including Family Tax Benefit, Maternity Immunisation Allowance and Maternity Payment. There are about 550 FAO outlets located in Medicare offices, Centrelink Customer Service Centres and Australian Taxation Office access and enquiry sites across Australia.

Support for Families Child Abuse Prevention The Australian Government provides funding to a number of organisations and groups that work at the national level to support the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Funding is provided for the following programme elements: • Responding Early Assisting Children (REACh) – funds services that provide

early intervention support for children and families at risk of child abuse and neglect. The programme has a focus on prevention, developing resilience in families and children, and promoting successful transitions for children in vulnerable families. The programme funds child-centred, family-focussed and community-connected responses such as parenting education, home visits by counsellors, family support, playgroups, mentoring and community development;

• National Child Protection Clearinghouse – information dissemination on child protection activities and research; and

• Australian Council for Children and Parenting (ACCAP) – provides policy advice to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and is also responsible for the biennial National Child Protection Awards.

Double Orphan Pension Double Orphan Pension provides assistance to guardians or approved care organisations in meeting the costs of caring for children who are double orphans. A double orphan is a child whose parents or adoptive parents have died, or who has one parent deceased and the other parent is: in prison for at least ten years; on remand and charged with an offence punishable by imprisonment for at least ten years; indefinitely living in a psychiatric, nursing or other similar institution; or ‘uncontactable’ (ie. whose whereabouts is unknown).

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Family and Youth Support (National Illicit Drugs Strategy) The Strengthening and Supporting Families Coping with Illicit Drug Use – Strengthening Families measure was introduced in 1999 as part of the Council of Australian Government’s National Illicit Drug Strategy (NIDS).

Funding is provided to non-government organisations to provide assistance to families struggling with, or affected by, the problems of illicit drug and substance abuse. The initiative funds education and counselling support services; advice and referral services; and targeted projects for families.

The primary focus of the Strengthening Families initiative is to provide support for families, including parents, grandparents, partners, kinship carers and children of drug-using parents.

Strengthening Families projects assist in enhancing emotional well-being and communication within families and are specifically directed towards family support rather than the health, education or criminal aspects of the strategy.

Family Relationship Services Programme The Family Relationship Services Programme (FRSP) aims to improve the well-being of families and children by supporting positive family relationships. The programme provides funding to community organisations for: • prevention and early intervention services; and

• post-separation services.

These family relationship services include: education and skills training; counselling; family dispute resolution; children’s contact services and contact orders programme; and MensLine Australia. All families and family members at various stages of the relationship cycle – prior to and during relationship formation, during relationships, through separation and divorce, during parenting and grand-parenting – are eligible to access these services.

From 2006-07, the centrepiece of the Government’s family law system reforms, the Family Relationship Centres, are commencing service in 15 locations across Australia.

Family Tax Benefit Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A helps families with the cost of raising dependent children. It is paid to families for children up to 21 years of age and for young people between ages 21 and 24 who are studying full-time (and not receiving Youth Allowance or a similar payment). FTB Part A includes a supplement for each child that is available after the end of the financial year when family assistance payments are reconciled.

FTB Part B provides extra assistance to families with only one main income earner, including single parents. It is paid to families for children under 16 years old and for children between ages 16 and 18 studying full-time. FTB Part B includes a supplement per family, which is available after the end of the financial year when family assistance payments are reconciled.

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Maternity Immunisation Allowance Maternity Immunisation Allowance is a one-off lump sum paid for children fully immunised at 18 months. Maternity Immunisation Allowance is not income-tested and is paid when the child is fully immunised at 18 months.

Maternity Payment Maternity Payment is a universal one-off payment of $3,166. It recognises the relationship between a mother and her newborn baby and the extra costs associated with the birth or adoption of a baby. To be eligible for Maternity Payment claimants must meet both the dependent child requirements and Australian residency requirements for family assistance purposes and have a tax file number.

The rate of payment will increase to $4,000 from 1 July 2006 and $5,000 from 1 July 2008 as part of the More Help for Families package included in the 2004-05 Budget.

Services for Families with Children The Australian Government encourages and facilitates a national approach to parenting and early childhood intervention. The Australian Government provides funding to support children, parents and families at risk of achieving poor outcomes and/or experiencing abuse and neglect. Playgroups are a sub-programme of Services for Families with Children.

Playgroups Playgroups are informal gatherings for parents and caregivers with children under school age. Playgroups provide opportunities for children’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual development while also providing opportunities for parents to develop social and support networks to encourage and assist them in their valuable parenting role.

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Family Initiatives The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy focuses on early childhood (0-5 years of age) through early intervention, prevention and capacity building initiatives which support and strengthen Australian families and communities by working with them to identify solutions to their local issues. The Strategy is guided by the latest research and the consultation feedback from the National Agenda for Early Childhood.

The three streams of the Strategy under this outcome are:

Communities for Children • targets up to 45 disadvantaged communities across Australia;

• provides funding for local early childhood initiatives; and

• facilitates non-government organisations to be engaged to work with local stakeholders to deliver early childhood development programmes and services.

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Invest to Grow • aims to improve outcomes for young children by supporting organisations to

expand established early intervention and prevention programmes and to further develop new ones that have the potential for broader application;

• funds the development of resources or tools for parents, community groups, professionals and government organisations to support positive early childhood development; and

• continues to build the Australian evidence base about what works in prevention and early intervention in early childhood.

Choice and Flexibility in Child Care • provides Australian parents with flexible and innovative child care solutions;

• funds the In Home Care programme for families without other formal child care options;

• provides incentives for centre-based long day care providers to set up in areas of high need; and

• funds the quality assurance systems for family day care and outside school hours care and investigates the viability of quality assurance for other child care services including indigenous and In Home Care.

Child Support Administered appropriations for the Child Support Agency (CSA) are the responsibility of the Department of Human Services. FaCSIA has policy responsibility for child support and receives departmental appropriations for this purpose.

As part of its commitment to family law reform, the Government has decided to undertake fundamental reform of the Child Support Scheme by accepting most of the recommendations made by the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support. The Taskforce presented its final report ‘In the Best Interests of Children’ to Government in June 2005. The changes are consistent with contemporary family structures and work patterns, and remove disincentives to workforce participation and shared parenting. The centrepiece of the reforms is a new administrative formula by which child support liabilities will be determined. The new formula is based on new Australian research on the costs of children that 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 more equally. The reform package also includes changes that will improve compliance, provide additional help for separated parents to agree on parenting arrangements, enable the Social Security Appeals Tribunal to review CSA decisions, and provide extra flexibility for parents to agree on financial and caring arrangements that suit their particular circumstances.

These are substantial changes and will be implemented in three main stages. The first stage is expected to commence on 1 July 2006, the second stage on 1 January 2007, and the final stage (including the new formula) will commence on 1 July 2008.

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Child Care Support Child Care Benefit Child Care Benefit (CCB) assists with the cost of child care for eligible families using approved child care services or registered carers. Assistance provided is higher for lower-income families. Families can have the Benefit paid directly to the child care service to reduce their ongoing fees, or alternatively can receive the Benefit as a lump-sum payment after the end of the financial year. Families using registered care (eg. care provided by a relative, friend or neighbour registered as a carer with the FAO) may be eligible for the minimum rate of CCB for up to 50 hours per week of work-related child care. In addition, eligible grandparents who have the primary care of their grandchildren can now have access to more hours of CCB, and for grandparents on income support, access to a grandparent rate of CCB which covers the full cost of approved care for up to 50 hours per week per child.

Jobs Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance (JETCCFA) (formerly known as Child Care for Eligible Parents Undergoing Training) The JET Child Care Fee Assistance programme provides eligible parents with extra help with the cost of approved child care while undertaking activities such as job search, work, study or rehabilitation to help them to enter or re-enter the workforce.

Support for Child Care Support for Child Care is funded through both Appropriation Bill (No. 1) and Appropriation Bill (No. 2) as payments are made directly to providers and to the states and territories. This programme was introduced in 1997 to encompass all of the ongoing and new programmes the department funds to support child care.

The Child Care Support Programme (CCSP) includes the following sub-programmes: • Quality Support; • Inclusion and Professional Support; and • Community Support.

The objectives of the Child Care Support Programme are to: • promote, support and enhance quality child care; • improve access to child care for children and families with special or additional

needs; and • support equitable access to child care for children and families in areas and/or

circumstances where services would not otherwise be available.

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Performance Indicators for Outcome 3

Table 3.2.3: Performance Information for Outcome 3

Group 3.1 Support for Families Administered Items • Child Abuse Prevention • Double Orphan Pension • Family and Youth Support (National Illicit Drugs Strategy) • Family Relationships Services Programme • Family Tax Benefit • Maternity Immunisation Allowance • Maternity Payment • Services for Families with Children • Stronger Families and Communities Strategy – Families Initiatives

Departmental Outputs

Administered Appropriations: $15,703.8m

Departmental Appropriations: $435.3m

2006–07 Estimate

• Policy Services and Programme Management

• Service Delivery

Administered Items

Indicator Type Indicator Estimate

Child Abuse Prevention

Effectiveness - Capacity

Percentage of funded projects assessed as meeting the objectives set for the programme

100 per cent

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of completed funded projects delivering outputs agreed with FaCSIA

90 per cent

Percentage of funded projects meeting milestones agreed with FaCSIA

90 per cent

Price $4.4 million

Double Orphan Pension

Quantity Number of children in respect of whom Double Orphan Pension is paid

1,856 children

Number of customers receiving Double Orphan Pension

1,389 customers

Price $2.9 million

Family and Youth Support (National Illicit Drugs Strategy)

Quantity Number of families assisted directly and indirectly 5,000

Price $3.2 million

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Administered Items


Family Relationships Services Programme

Cost Average cost per client Less than $800

Average cost per session Less than $450


Percentage of clients recording improvement in their presenting relationship issue

80 per cent

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of service providers meeting Family Relationship Services Programme Approval Requirements

90 per cent

Quantity Number of clients 140,000

Number of sessions provided 280,000

Price $52.2 million

Family Tax Benefit

Effectiveness - Take Up / Coverage

Number of families entitled to Family Tax Benefit who claim and receive their entitlement within the 3 year period allowed for their claim

Approx 2.2 million customers

Quality - Access and Choice

Percentage of customers choosing fortnightly payments compared with end of year lump sum, through either the taxation system or Centrelink

90 per cent Centrelink - fortnightly payments

4 per cent through Centrelink - lump sum payment

6 per cent through ATO - lump sum payment

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of FTB claims finalised within 21 days of lodgement

91 per cent

Quantity

Number of recipients of Family Tax Benefit: FTB Part A maximum rate (with and without income support), broken rate, base rate, below base, FTB Part A with Rent Assistance (RA)

FTB Part A maximum rate - with income support 456,000 families -without income support 190,000 families

broken rate 530,000

base 560,000

below base 73,000

FTB Part A with RA 374,000

FTB Part A with Multiple Birth Allowance; FTB Part A with Large Family Supplement

FTB Part A with Multiple Birth Allowance 300

FTB Part A with Large Family Supplement 112,000

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Administered Items


FTB Part B maximum rate for sole parents and couples and broken rate for couples

FTB Part B maximum rate - sole parents 592,000 - couples 364,000

broken rate FTB (B) 418,000

Price $14,497.6 million

Maternity Immunisation Allowance

Quantity

Number of children in respect of whom Maternity Immunisation Allowance is paid

245,000 children

This is likely to comprise 206,500 children who are fully immunised, 2,500 children whose parents were conscientious objectors, and 36,000 children whose parents cited other valid reasons for an immunisation exemption

Number of customers receiving Maternity Immunisation Allowance

241,000 customers

This is likely to comprise 203,500 customers who fully immunised at least one of their children, 2,500 conscientious objectors and 35,000 customers with other exemption reasons

Price $55.1 million

Maternity Payment

Quantity Number of Children in respect of whom Maternity Payment Paid

259,000 children including about 620 adopted children

Number of families granted Maternity Payment 254,000 families including about 603 families who are expected to adopt a child and 794 families who will likely receive instalment payments


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Administered Items


Services for Families with Children


Number of hits per annum on the national playgroups web site

4 million

Percentage of families with children under 5 years of age participating in playgroups funded by the Playgroups Programme

15 per cent

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of funded projects meeting milestones agreed with FaCSIA

90 per cent

Price $7.1 million

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy - Communities for Children


Percentage of Communities for Children sites that have the social coalition model applied to achieve better outcomes for children

100 per cent

Percentage of sites that have an agreed Community Strategic Plan

90 per cent

Quantity Number of local strategies funded by the Communities for Children initiative

5 per site

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy – Early Childhood: Invest To Grow

Effectiveness - Targeting

Percentage of projects that provide deliverables against one or more of the following four key action areas:

Healthy young families;

Early learning and care;

Supporting families and parents; and

Child friendly communities

100 per cent

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of funded established and developing programmes meeting milestones agreed with FaCSIA

100 per cent

Percentage of funded established and developing programmes with evaluations underway

100 per cent

Quantity Number of established and developing programmes funded

23

Number of tools and resources facilitating the sharing and dissemination of information to support early childhood development

16

Percentage of tools and resources facilitating the sharing and dissemination of information to support early childhood development meeting milestones agreed with FaCSIA

85 per cent

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy – Choice and Flexibility in Child Care

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of outside school hours care services satisfactorily participating in quality assurance

90 per cent

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Administered Items


Stronger Families and Communities Strategy

Total Price $53.2 million



Cost Ratio of departmental expense to administered expense

2.8c:$1

Policy Services and Programme Management

Quality - Assurance

Research and evaluation is of a high standard (timely, fulfils terms of reference, complete, methodologically sound) and contributes to policy understanding and development

100 per cent

Service agreements/contracts that meet legislative, government policy and departmental requirements are in place with all service providers

100 per cent

Service providers meet terms and conditions of funding

100 per cent

Quality - Client Satisfaction

Ministers and their offices are satisfied with the quality of policy advice and department meets standards for policy advice

100 per cent

Quantity Major pieces of research and evaluation completed 3 plus significant supporting activity

Number of contracts/service agreements for provision of services to FaCS to support programmes

4

Number of contracts/service agreements with community organisations under management for delivery of services to the community

223

Number of items to Ministers’ offices 2,000 items of ministerial correspondence

220 submissions and briefings

Number of service providers under management 218

Price $44.9 million

Service Delivery

Quality - Assurance

Service providers deliver services to the standards agreed with FaCSIA

100 per cent

Quality - Client Rights and Obligations

Control of incorrect payment and fraud: savings in administered items arising from compliance activities

$1.5 million in fortnightly savings

$37.82 million annually in debts

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Percentage of FTB reviews and appeals where the original decision is changed

A low percentage of ARO decisions overturned

Quantity Number of FAO claims received by each of the partner agencies: Medicare Australia, ATO and Centrelink

Around 200,000 claims received by Medicare Australia relating to family payments

Around 140,000 claims by ATO relating to Family Tax Benefit

Around 1,300,000 claims by Centrelink for all types of family payments

Total number of FAO Customer Service Centres 567 Customer Service Centres, comprising: - 308 Centrelink Customer Service Centres - 21 Tax Office access sites - 238 Medicare Australia sites

Price $390.4 million

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Group 3.2 Child Support Departmental outputs

Administered Appropriations: $-


2006–07 Estimate• Policy Services and Programme

Management • Service Delivery



Policy Services and Programme Management

Quality - Assurance

Number of contracts/service agreements under management

5

Number of service providers under management 1 (Child Support Agency)

Research and evaluation is of a high standard (timely, fulfils terms of reference, complete, methodologically sound) and contributes to policy and service delivery understanding and development

100 per cent

Service providers meet terms and conditions of funding

100 per cent



100 per cent


Number of items to Ministers’ offices 2,000 items of ministerial correspondence


Price $4.5 million

Service Delivery - Child Support Agency


Net clawback - reduction in Family Tax Benefit outlays as a result of child support obligations being met

$554 million

Price nil

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Group 3.3 Child Care Support Administered Items • Child Care Benefit • Jobs Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance (JETCCFA) (formerly

known as Child Care for Eligible Parents Undergoing Training) • Stronger Families and Communities Strategy – Choice and Flexibility in Child

Care • Support for Child Care

Administered Appropriations: $1,887.2m


2006–07 EstimateDepartmental Outputs • Policy Services and Programme

Management • Service Delivery

Administered Items


Child Care Benefit

Cost Child care out-of-pocket costs as a proportion of weekly disposable income before and after child care subsidies

10 to 14 per cent for one child in full time long day care depending on income up to $100,000 per annum

Percentage of families claiming maximum rate Child Care Benefit

35 per cent

Percentage of families claiming minimum rate Child Care Benefit

19 per cent

Effectiveness - Independence

Percentage of Commonwealth-funded child care that is used for non-work related purposes

10 per cent

Percentage of Commonwealth funded child care that is used for work-related purposes

90 per cent

Quantity Number of calls to the Child Care Access Hotline 43,400

Number of child care places available 587,000

Number of eligible approved services funded 10,400

Number of families eligible to receive Child Care Benefit

574,100

Number of families using approved Commonwealth funded child care services and receiving Child Care Benefit

555,200


Jobs Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance (JETCCFA) (formerly known as Child Care for Eligible Parents Undergoing Training)

Effectiveness - Take Up / Coverage

Number of children in child care 58,000

Number of parents assisted 35,000

Price $27.3 million

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Administered Items


Stronger Families and Communities Strategy - Choice and Flexibility in Child Care

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of outside school hours care services satisfactorily participating in quality assurance

90 per cent

Support for Child Care


Number of children with additional needs using Australian Government approved child care services - by target group

Children with disability 16,700

Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Australian South Seas Islander Children 15,000

Children from non-English speaking background 95,000

Total number of children with additional needs using Australian Government approved child care services 126,000

Quality - Access and Choice

Number of children with a disability assisted into mainstream services

16,700

Quality - Assurance

Percentage of centres satisfactorily participating in Quality Improvement and Accreditation System (QIAS)

90 per cent

Percentage of family day care services satisfactorily participating in Family Day Care Quality Assurance (FDCQA)

90 per cent

Percentage of Outside School Hours Care services satisfactorily participating in Outside School Hours Care Quality Assurance (OSHCQA)

90 per cent

Quantity Number of Indigenous-specific services 270

Number of services specifically targeted to rural and remote areas

1,200

Price $18.4 million

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Cost Ratio of departmental expense to administered expense

4.9c:$1

Policy Services and Programme Management Quality - Assurance

Department ensures that service providers meet terms and conditions of funding

100 per cent

Research and evaluation is of a high standard (timely, fulfils terms of reference, complete, methodologically sound) and contributes to policy understanding and development

100 per cent

Service agreements/contracts that meet legislative, government policy and departmental requirements in place with all service providers

100 per cent



100 per cent


Number of contracts/service agreements under management

3

Number of service providers under management 7,000

Number of items to Ministers’ offices 710 items of ministerial correspondence


Price $21.7 million

Service Delivery

Quality - Assurance

Service providers deliver services to the standards agreed with FaCSIA

100 per cent

Quality - Client Rights and Obligations

Control of incorrect payment and fraud: number of service reviews conducted annually

1,100

Percentage of reviews and appeals where the original decision is changed

ARO 15 per cent

SSAT 16 per cent

AAT n/a

Price $70.3 million

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Evaluations for Outcome 3 Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004-2009 Following an open tender assessment process, FaCSIA commissioned the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW, working closely with the Australian Institute of Family Studies, and supported by a broad range of expert advisers, to develop the National Evaluation Framework and carry out the evaluation of the 2004-2009 Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS). The evaluation has been allocated funding of $5.3 million to evaluate the SFCS over four years in the period from 2004 until 2008. The SFCS 2004-2009 Evaluation Framework covers three of the SFCS initiatives: Communities for Children; Invest to Grow; and Local Answers. The Choice and Flexibility in Child Care initiative will be separately evaluated. The Framework is informed by Government policy and aims to address appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of outcomes as well as contribute to policy and practice development.

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OUTCOME 3 F AMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE CHOICES AND ... · OUTCOME 3 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE...

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