Annual Report 2003-04 I volume 1


Output Group 1.1 I Family assistance



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Output Group 1.1 I Family assistance

Contribution to Outcome 1


Family assistance contributes to Outcome 1 by:

providing payments to families to assist with the costs of children, including newborns, in a way that recognises the needs and choices of both single- and dual-income families

helping to support and strengthen families through the provision of services to enhance family relationships and protect against family breakdown, including parenting education and measures to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Strategies


provide a system of financial assistance available to most families, recognising changing work and family responsibilities, with payments structured according to the number and ages of children in the household as well as income

recognise the needs of particular groups, including parents with newborn babies, sole parents, single-income couples and people caring for orphaned children

promote choice-of-delivery mechanisms so families can elect whether they receive their financial assistance as a transfer payment or through the tax system

implement the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004-08 announced in April 2004 with a strengthened focus on early childhood

fund and support the development of the Australian Early Development Index (EDI) — a community measure of child development

progress the National Agenda for Early Childhood and refine the draft framework

fund non-government organisations to provide a range of services such as family relationships education, family relationship skills training and counselling, adolescent mediation and family therapy, children’s contact services, financial counselling, parenting programs, and family support services and playgroups

provide leadership, community education and project funding to reduce child exploitation, abuse and neglect.


Outputs under Output Group 1.1

Child abuse prevention


Funding is provided for the following program elements:

Early Intervention Parenting (EIP) — projects aimed at child abuse prevention, improved parenting and strengthening families. Following the review of the EIP program and the Good Beginnings Prototype, a strategic framework for supporting parenting capacity was developed. This framework is known as the Responding Early Assisting Children (REACH) program; it replaces the EIP and Good Beginnings Prototype.

National Child Protection Clearinghouse—information dissemination on child protection activities and research

Australian Council for Children and Parenting (ACCAP)— provides policy advice to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and is also responsible for the biennial National Child Protection Awards.

Double Orphan Pension


Double Orphan Pension is a non-means tested payment for children with at least one deceased parent, who cannot have contact with the other (for example, because that parent is a long-term prisoner or their whereabouts are unknown). Some refugee children may also be considered as double orphans.

Family and youth support (National Illicit Drugs Strategy)


The ‘Strengthening and Supporting Families Coping with Illicit Drug Use’ initiative is an early intervention, family-focused component of the wider Tough on Drugs demand-reduction measures of the National Illicit Drugs Strategy. Current family support projects include advice, information, referral and outreach services for parents, training and skills development of workers, and specific Indigenous drug services.

These programs assist in enhancing emotional wellbeing and communication within families and provide opportunities for developing stronger links between families, education, employment and the community.


Family Tax Benefit Part A


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).

Family Tax Benefit Part B


Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B provides extra assistance to families with only one main income-earner, including sole parents. It is paid to families for children under 16 years old and for children between ages 16 and 18 studying full-time.

Grants to family relationship support organisations


Funding is provided for the following programs:

Commonwealth Financial Counselling Program

The program funds community organisations to provide access to quality financial counselling services, free of charge, to people on low incomes experiencing financial crisis due to circumstances such as unemployment, sickness, credit overcommitment and family breakdown.

Family Relationships Services Program (FRSP)

The program funds community organisations to provide family relationships services such as education, mediation, therapy, family skills training and counselling. It also provides funding for children’s contact services, specialised family violence services, Men’s Line Australia, the contact orders program, and the Men and Family Relationships Program.

Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing


Established in response to the Bringing Them Home report, this program promotes the importance of strong families among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while increasing parenting skills and participation in family life. The program funds community organisations to provide a range of culturally appropriate parenting and support programs.

Maternity Allowances


Maternity Allowance is a one-off lump sum paid at around the time of a birth to help meet associated costs. Claimants must be eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A within 13 weeks of the birth or, for adopted children, within 13 weeks of the child being entrusted into their care where the child was under 26 weeks of age at the date of placement.

From 1 July 2004, a new universal Maternity Payment of $3000 was introduced. This payment will increase to $4000 from 1 July 2006 and $5000 from 1 July 2008.


Maternity Immunisation Allowance

For children born or adopted before 1 January 2003, Maternity Immunisation Allowance is a one-off lump sum paid for children fully immunised at 18 months. For a child born or adopted on or after 1 January 2003, Maternity Immunisation Allowance is not income-tested. Maternity Immunisation Allowance is paid when eligibility and immunisation requirements are met.

Services for Families with Children


The program includes a range of initiatives to help families with children develop effective parenting skills, confidence and self-esteem. Key elements are:

Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agencies (AICCA)-provide a range of services focused on children, including alternative care services and placement (fostering and adoption), family reunification and related family wellbeing

playgroups-funding for playgroup associations in each state and territory to assist people to find a playgroup that meets their needs, and for intensive support playgroups in support of disadvantaged families with children experiencing multiple crises

other services for families with children-services and support in health, wellbeing (including child abuse prevention), education and child care.

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Families Initiatives


The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy is an Australian Government initiative assisting families and communities to build strength and resilience to enable them to identify and resolve their local issues, manage the impact of social and economic change and explore opportunities for development. The strategy focuses on empowering communities to develop local solutions to local problems. Almost a quarter of the initial projects were in Indigenous communities and more than half in rural and remote communities.

Going forward for the next four years, the new strategy will have particular emphasis on early childhood initiatives and resources that can be used to achieve better outcomes for children and their families.


Performance summary

Key achievements included:


providing policy advice to government that led to a package of measures in the 2004-05 Budget that will provide greater assistance to families with the costs of raising children, improve the rewards from working and help to balance work and family responsibilities

drafting legislation to support the introduction and successful passage of the Budget measures providing additional assistance to families, including the new Maternity Payment

working with other Australian Government departments and the Family Assistance Office (FAO) partner agencies for the successful implementation of the Budget measures

passage of the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004, which extended the timeframe for the payment of FTB top-ups as a result of income reconciliation from one to two years after the end of the income year to which the payments relate

providing assistance to around 130 000 customers through the Family Relationships Services Program

over 21 700 calls to Men’s Line Australia and more than 400 000 visits to their web site (www.menslineaus.org.au)

participation of over 92 000 families in approximately 8100 self-managed playgroups Australia-wide. The initiative to expand playgroups commenced in 2003-04 with an expected increase of 4200 playgroups to be established over the next four years in each state and territory. This number includes mainstream playgroups, and supported and intensive playgroups.

completion of the Early Intervention Parenting and Good Beginnings Prototype review and development of the REACH program framework

commencement of the concurrent Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing (IPFWB) and AICCA reviews to enhance outcomes for Indigenous families

coordination of a two-day workshop on Indigenous child rearing and good practice in service delivery. Participation included 150 representatives from AICCAs and IPFWB service providers nationally.

continuing the successful implementation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.

Work is required to:


further develop the Family Relationships Services Program, especially in the context of the funding of the Government’s response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs Inquiry into Child Custody Arrangements in the Event of Family Separation

evaluate and implement the findings of the IPFWB and AICCA reviews to improve capacity and governance of organisations and enhance service delivery

complete an evaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (2000-04)

provide for ongoing implementation of the REACH program in response to the Early Intervention Parenting review



continue implementing 2004-05 Budget measures in a timely and expeditious manner.

Financial and staffing resources summary


Table 2: Output Group 1.1—Family assistance

Group 1.1: Family assistance

(A) Budgeta 2003-04 $’000

(B) Actual 2003-04 $’000

Variation (column B minus column A)

$’000

Budgetb 2004-05 $’000

Administered Expenses (including third party outputs)

Child Abuse Prevention

4 113

3 846

-267

4 187

Grants to Family Relationship Support Organisations (including payments under the Family Law Act 1975 and the Marriage Act 1961)

27 421

27 217

-204

30 444

Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing

1 869

1 757

-112

1 903

Services for Families with Children

8 159

7 830

-329

10 581

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Families Initiatives

23 585

23 585

0

35 986

National Illicit Drugs Strategy-Strengthening and Supporting Families Coping with Illicit Drug Use

0

0

0

2 654

Services for Families with Children SPP

376

374

-2

379

Special Appropriations







0




Double Orphan Pension (Social Security (Administration) Act 1999)

2 175

2 165

-10

2 212

Family Tax Benefit (ANTS (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999)c

12 760 061

12 869 904

109 843

13 732 277

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (More Help for Families-One-off payments) 2004

2 221000

2 222 990

1 990

0

Maternity Allowances (ANTS (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999)

222 294

223 256

962

783 669

Total Administered Expenses

15 271 053

15 382 924

111 871

14 604 292

Price of Departmental Outputs

Policy Advice

26 106

26 111

5

17 192

Purchasing, Funding & Relationship Management

20 295

20 299

4

13 365

Research and Evaluation

11 364

11 366

2

7 483

Service Delivery (Centrelink)

389 712

391 049

1 337

405 275

Service Delivery (other)

11 006

11 005

- 1

11 208

Revenue from Government (Appropriation) for Departmental Output Groups

458 483

459 830

1 347

454 523

FaCS Componentd

57 765

57 776

11

38 040

Centrelink Component

389 712

391 049

1 337

405 275

Service Delivery (other)

11 006

11 005

-1

11 208

TOTAL FOR GROUP 1.1

15 729 536

15 842 754

113 218

15 058 815

Staffing Years (Number)







2003-04

2004-05

FaCS (including the Social Security Appeals Tribunal)







186

168

a. Final estimates have been used for special appropriations while additional estimates have been used for annual appropriations.

b. Budget prior to additional estimates.

c. Budget and actual expenses relate to fortnightly payments made by the Family Assistance Office through Centrelink. Claims can also be made through the taxation system and are accounted for in the estimates of the ATO.

d. FaCS includes the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.


Performance information

Administered items

Child abuse prevention

Effectiveness-capacity

Number of members of child protection email discussion list-552 at 30 June 2004

Number of hits per year on the National Child Protection Clearinghouse web site—929 609

Number of pages downloaded—512 531
Quality—assurance
Percentage of completed funded projects meeting objectives/outputs agreed with FaCS

Approximately 96 per cent, based on those service providers who completed their contractual obligations
Percentage of funded projects meeting milestones agreed with FaCS

Approximately 95 per cent, based on over 45 contracts current in 2003-04
Price

$3.8 million
Commentary

The Early Intervention Parenting (EIP) and Good Beginnings Prototype (GBP) programs were reviewed in 2003 to determine whether the focus of the programs was still relevant to and consistent with future policy direction and program priorities.

In its response to the review, FaCS, in consultation with the sector and key stakeholders, developed a new program logic and performance management process known as REACH (Responding Early Assisting Children), to be implemented progressively over the next three years from July 2004.

The programs will continue to support a diversity of services across Australia that assist vulnerable families to meet their child’s wellbeing and development needs.

Thirty-two EIP services that demonstrated their long-term preventative orientation and viability in accordance with the new program principles were approved for funding over the next three-year period (2004-07).



The first steps toward developing a new program logic and performance framework include the streamlining of reporting and accountability requirements and the development of program-wide performance indicators linking REACH to other early intervention and prevention services.

Double Orphan Pension

Quantity

Number of customers receiving Double Orphan Pension-1151 as at 25 June 2004
Price

$2.2 million

Family Tax Benefit

Effectiveness-take-up/coverage
Number of families entitled to Family Tax Benefit who claim and receive their entitlement within the three-year period allowed for their claim

Around 2 million families claimed and received the benefit for the financial year 2001-02 by the cut-off date of 30 June 2004.
Quality-access and choice
Percentage of customers choosing fortnightly payment compared with end-of-year lump sum through the taxation system or Centrelink

Table 3: Customers choosing fortnightly payment compared with end-of-year lump sum through the taxation system or Centrelink, 2002-03




Customers

Payment type chosen

Number

Per cent

Centrelink fortnightly payments

2 012 277

92

Centrelink lump-sum payments

63 946

3

Tax Office lump-sum payments

111 158

5

Note: Payment information refers to customers who received assistance for the 2002-03 tax year as at the end of June 2004. Customers who claimed assistance using more than one payment method during the year could be included in more than one of the above categories-for example, a customer may have received fortnightly payments from Centrelink for part of the year as well as a lump-sum payment through the taxation system.
Quality-assurance
Number and value of top-ups, overpayments, and nil adjustments created by the reconciliation process

Table 4: Number and value of top-ups, overpayments, and nil adjustments created by the reconciliation process, 2002-03

Top-ups:

552 912 averaging $904.60 in value and totalling $500 million

Overpayments:

560 633 averaging $860.80 in value and totalling $483 million

Nil adjustments:

854 498

Note: Information refers to customers who received assistance for the 2002-03 tax year as at the end of June 2004.
Percentage of Family Tax Benefit fortnightly claims finalised within 21 days of lodgment

440 479 (90.6 per cent) FTB claims were finalised within 21 days.
Quantity

Number of recipients of FTB

Table 5: Family Tax Benefit—number of customers assisted fortnightly (as at 25 June 2004)

Payment

Families

Children

Family Tax Benefit Part A

Maximum rate (with income support)

473 444

886 748

Maximum rate (without income support)

142 387

258 891

Broken rate

423 531

912 753

Base rate

721391

1 332 099

Below base rate

46 968

106 339

With Rent Assistance

347847

653 524

Family Tax Benefit Part B

Maximum rate (for sole parents)

595 016

1 004 690

Maximum rate (for couples)

298 842

637 094

Broken rate (for couples)

311 784

655 131

Note: Figures are customers paid on fortnightly basis, based on income estimates. Does not include customers claiming through tax system.
Price

$12.9 billion — Family Tax Benefit

$2.2 billion — More help for families—one off payments 2004


Commentary

Family Tax Benefit Part A customers receive an average of $180 a fortnight, or $4700 a year. In addition, early indications are that the $600 per child supplement is providing approximately $1000 per family after reconciliation. Customers who are not currently receiving a rate greater than zero are excluded from the calculation of average rates of payment. On 30 June 2004, the average estimated 2003-04 taxable income for families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A was $48 229, excluding sole parents receiving income support.

The increase in the maximum and base rate of Family Tax Benefit Part A announced in the 2004-05 Budget will be payable as a lump sum only upon reconciliation.

Family Tax Benefit Part B customers received an average of $78.86 a fortnight, or $2055.96 a year.

From November 2002, a number of measures under the More Choice for Families package were gradually introduced in order to assist families to reduce the likelihood of incurring an FTB overpayment. As at 25 June 2004, around 574 061 FTB customers had chosen one or more of these options.


Grants to family relationship support organisations

Commonwealth Financial Counselling Program
Cost

Average cost per customer-Estimate $200 per customer
Effectiveness-adequacy

Percentage of customers whose problem was resolved-Approximately 50 per cent
Percentage of total customers with improved ability to manage financial affairs in the future

Approximately 70 per cent
Quantity

Number of customers-Approximately 14 000
Commentary

Financial counsellors can help customers by assisting them in negotiating with creditors; advocating on their behalf; looking at options and explaining what they can do in relation to outstanding bills; explaining the debt recovery process and helping them to take the appropriate course of action; assisting them to develop a budgeting plan to suit their circumstances; helping them gain financial management skills; providing information in relation to such things as mortgages, housing, residential tenancy issues, bankruptcy; and referring them to other appropriate services.
Family Relationships Services Program (FRSP)
Cost

Average cost per session and per customer

Approximately $160 per session and $300 per customer


Effectiveness-capacity

Percentage of customers recording improvement in their presenting relationship issue

Approximately 90 per cent based on intended customer benefit ratings reported in departmental performance data for 2003-04


Quality-assurance

Percentage of service providers meeting Family Quality Information Strategy (FAMQIS) Tier 1 standards

At the end of 2003-04, 102 organisations funded through the program were required to meet the quality standards contained in the approval requirements. During 2003-04, a sample of 17 FRSP organisations has been independently assessed for compliance with the standards. All organisations were either fully or partially compliant, and FaCS is working with the partially compliant organisations to achieve full compliance.


Quantity

Number of sessions- provided-Approximately 225 000

Number of customers-Approximately 110 000
Commentary

The future directions of the FRSP will be shaped by the findings of an evaluation of the program, which was completed in June 2004. It found the program, in general, had achieved its aims and that 94 per cent of customers reported high levels of satisfaction with FRSP services:

Customers agreed that access to the FRSP had helped them with relationships issues they were experiencing at the time.

Customers of subprograms aimed at child-related issues had very positive attitudes toward the services received.

The evaluation also suggested broad program management changes, including development of a performance management framework and devolution of program management responsibilities to the FaCS state and territory office network, which will be implemented over the next financial year.


Total price

$27.2 million

Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing

Effectiveness-capacity

Percentage of completed funded projects assessed as meeting the relevant objectives of the Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing (IPFWB) initiative

Approximately 90 per cent of projects

This figure is based on the information provided by services as part of the review of the IP&FWB program. The figure is indicative of a small number of projects having a focus that is outside of or marginal to the program objectives, not of projects failing to provide a quality service.

Quality-assurance

Percentage of completed funded projects delivering outputs agreed with FaCS

Approximately 80 per cent



Percentage of funded projects meeting milestones agreed with FaCS

Approximately 80 per cent


Price

$1.8 million
Commentary

The Indigenous Parenting and Family Wellbeing initiative is one of the programs established in response to the Bringing Them Home report. The initiative builds capacity in families with children by:

building on existing strengths, assets and capacities of Indigenous families and communities, reflecting the value of positive role models and successful approaches

giving urgent attention to initiatives that target the needs of children and young people, particularly in the areas of leadership training, self-esteem building, awareness of one’s culture and family, and the prevention of family violence.

A review of the IPFWB program commenced in February 2004 and will continue until the end of July 2004. The review is primarily concerned with the accessibility of the target group (that is, people affected by past separation policies) and the effectiveness of interventions, with the aim of enhancing outcomes for Indigenous families.

For the period February to June 2004 the consultants’ progress report identified community self-determination and holistic integrated approaches as key factors in sustaining engagement and producing successful outcomes.

Maternity Allowances

Effectiveness-targeting

Percentage of customers paid Maternity Immunisation Allowance for fully satisfying the immunisation requirement

201 237 customers (98.8 per cent) fully satisfied immunisation requirements.


Quantity

Number of customers receiving Maternity Allowance

209 218 customers in respect of 211 589 children



Total number of customers receiving Maternity Immunisation Allowance

203 658 customers in respect of 205 431 children


Price

$223.3 million
Commentary

In the 2004-05 Budget, the Government announced that from 1 July 2004 a new universal Maternity Payment of $3000 would be available to all families on the birth or adoption of a baby. This new payment will be available to all families, regardless of the family’s income. It will increase to $4000 in July 2006 and to $5000 in July 2008. The payment will replace the existing Maternity Allowance and the Baby Bonus, with recipients of the Baby Bonus maintaining their entitlement under that program until 2014. Around 250 000 families are expected to benefit from this new payment each year.

The current Maternity Immunisation Allowance continues and is no longer income-tested for babies born on or after 1 January 2003, but continues to be subject to immunisation requirements.


Services for Families with Children

Effectiveness-capacity

Number of hits per year on the national playgroups web site-11 000

Percentage of families with children under five years of age participating in playgroups Approximately 15 per cent
Quality—assurance

Percentage of funded projects meeting milestones agreed with FaCS

About 100 per cent of playgroups; about 90 per cent of Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Agencies (AICCA)


Price

$7.8 million
Commentary

Under the services for families with children appropriation, programs such as AICCAs and the playgroups program (including intensive support playgroups) were funded. In addition, funding was provided for 33 other projects to help families with children develop their parenting skills, confidence and self-esteem.

Playgroups—Around 92 000 families currently access about 8100 self-managed playgroups. Intensive support playgroups continue in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

AICCAs—A review of the Australian Government-funded AICCAs program commenced in April 2004 and will continue through to December 2004. The review intends to enhance the outcomes for Indigenous families and build the focus on early intervention and prevention in the context of the National Agenda for Early Childhood. The review will make recommendations for further action to address issues of organisational performance management and reporting to better support the AICCAs and to enhance accountability to FaCS.

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: Families Initiatives

Effectiveness—capacity

Family participation in communities increases as indicated by:

number of stakeholders participating in activities

21 080 individuals participated in Stronger Families Fund and Early Intervention projects.

increased networks

1357 new community groups or organisations were involved in Stronger Families Fund and Early Intervention projects resulting in 1131 new networks being established.

Quality-access and choice

Services to be provided in areas of identified priority and targeting high-need groups

100 per cent of services under the Stronger Families Fund and Early Intervention projects have been provided in areas of identified priority, targeting high-need groups. These include multicultural and Indigenous groups, people with disabilities and teenage parents.


Quality—customer satisfaction

Mechanisms in place to monitor customer feedback (satisfaction and complaints)

120 mechanisms have been put in place, including questionnaires, evaluation forms, surveys and focus groups.


Quantity

Number and range of resources/materials developed

428 resources/materials have been developed, including books, videos, parenting leaflets, newsletters, pamphlets, posters and information on web sites.



Number of participants—8530 participants enrolled in training courses.

Number of people assisted—7390 participants were assisted by completing training courses. Number of research projects undertaken—94

Number of services and programs provided

146 services and programs were provided, including parenting programs, children activities, family activities, playgroups, literacy programs, parent-child relationship programs, volunteer training, outreach programs and mentoring.



Numbers of communication mechanisms/forums in place—490
Volunteer Small Equipment Grants
Quantity

Number of grants issued—3487

Number of volunteers participating in projects—Estimated 104 800

Note

Volunteer Small Equipment Grants are also made under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy’s Communities Initiatives that are reported in Output Group 2.2. The quantity figures reported above for such grants under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy’s Families Initiatives include all those made under this strategy.


Total price

$23.6 million 34 FaCS Annual Report 2003-04 I Volume 2
Commentary

Since the launch of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy in April 2000 around $200 million has been expended on nearly 700 projects in both the Families and Communities initiatives. These projects comprised:

198 early childhood programs

98 parenting skills programs

51 relationship skills programs

188 mentoring and leadership programs

99 community-building programs

63 volunteering programs.

Almost a quarter of the projects have been delivered in Indigenous communities and more than half in rural and remote communities.

A review during 2003 found that there were a number of positive outcomes, including the community- driven, flexible and participatory approach to identifying local projects. There were also areas that could be improved, including the need for less complex selection criteria, clearer timeframes for processing applications and a stronger focus on key Australian Government priorities.

To achieve their outcomes, a number of projects provided training courses that, in total, assisted over 7000 participants. Some examples of the types of training courses include positive parenting; Indigenous courses aimed at nutrition, cooking, family values and anger management, parenting, relationship skills and drug awareness courses for parents with young families; introduction to volunteering; time management for managers of volunteers; being an effective member of a committee; community information certificate course; and financial counsellor training.

In addition to training courses, over 90 research projects were undertaken, the majority of which were action research projects. The participation of all those involved ensures that learning evolves and improves and that everyone has a say and a full understanding of the project.

The evaluation of the strategy will contribute to the evidence base for strengthening families and communities in Australia. Results based on project outcomes continue to demonstrate that the majority of completed Families Initiatives projects have achieved most of their objectives, with half of these projects exceeding their original expectations.


Departmental outputs

Cost


Ratio of departmental expense to administered expense

For every dollar spent on administered items under Output Group 1.1, 3.0 cents were spent on departmental outputs.


Policy advice

Quality-customer satisfaction

Ministers and ministers’ offices satisfied with the quality of policy advice and department meets standards for policy advice

Ministers and their offices did not provide feedback on individual output groups but did provide feedback on departmental performance as a whole. Information on ministers’ and their offices’ assessment can be found in Volume two, Part two, ‘Ministerial and parliamentary services’.


Quantity

Number of items to ministers

791 ministerial submissions and other written briefings or advice prepared; 2418 ministerial replies to correspondence completed


Price

$26.1 million

Purchasing, funding and relationship management

Quality—assurance

FaCS ensures that service providers meet terms and conditions of funding

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

Although the Tax Office and the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) played an active role in family payment delivery in 2003-04 as part of the Family Assistance Office (FAO), Centrelink continued to be the main provider for family payments. Centrelink delivered these payments in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Business Partnership Agreement with FaCS.

Business agreements that meet legislative, government policy and departmental requirements have been developed with Centrelink, the Tax Office and the HIC to deliver the FAO program and payments.

Quantity

Number of business agreements under management-3

Number of contracts or service agreements under management

Details of projects funded under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy are provided in Output Group 2.2.

FaCS had 102 contracts or service agreements with community organisations for delivery of services to the community under the Family Relationships Services Program, and 20 contracts or service agreements with organisations and individuals for the provision of services to FaCS to support the program.

These contracts or services agreements were for delivery of services to the community through approximately 400 outlets.



Number of service providers under management

During the 2003-04 year, 102 service providers were contracted to deliver services to the community on behalf of FaCS.


Family and youth support (National Illicit Drugs Strategy—NIDS)
Quantity

Number of families assisted—Due to the timing of the implementation of many of the projects, performance data are not yet available. Final reports are expected at the end of July 2005.

Number of requests for assistance—Due to the timing of the implementation of many of the projects, performance data are not yet available. Final reports are expected at the end of July 2005.
Commentary

In the 2003-04 Budget, additional funding of $3.246 million was approved to fund an evaluation of the ‘Strengthening and Supporting Families Coping with Illicit Drug Use’ measure and to extend current projects or implement new projects. All projects have been implemented and are expected to be completed by June 2005.

The evaluation of the measure in October 2003 concluded that it offered benefits in a range of areas, including enhancing the emotional wellbeing of families, improving communication within families and ultimately reducing or preventing drug abuse.

While its broad implementation resulted in a wide range of differing projects that were beneficial within the particular state or territory jurisdictions, the evaluation called for a stronger national framework for subsequent programs under the measure.

Changes in program delivery arrangements from July 2004 will result in direct funding to community organisations. This is expected to lead to smoother implementation of projects and enhanced program management processes.


Total price

$20.3 million

Research and evaluation

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

There was a consistently high standard of research and evaluations during 2003-04. It was timely, objective, and methodologically sound.


Quantity

Major pieces of research and evaluation completed-3
Price

$11.4 million

Service delivery

Quality-assurance

Service providers deliver services to the standards agreed with FaCS

Services were delivered as agreed.


Quality-customer rights and obligations

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

Review mechanisms common across most payment types for detection and control of incorrect payment and fraud are described in Volume two, Part two, ‘Right payments to the right people’.



In 2003-04, the Integrated Review System indicated that an estimated 202 882 family assistance reviews were completed. It is estimated that rate reductions resulted in fortnightly savings of $2 980 657, and upward variations resulted in fortnightly increases of $625 326. The debts totalled $8 169 325. Performance outcomes for debt recovery and prosecution activity are reported in Volume two, Part two, ‘Right payments to the right people’.
Quality-customer satisfaction

Percentage of reviews and appeals for family assistance payments where the original decision is changed

Table 6: Reviews and appeals-Output Group 1.1, 2003-04




Authorised Review Officers

Social Security Appeals Tribunal

Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Payment type

Reviews finalised

Percentage changed

Reviews finalised

Percentage changed

Reviews finalised

Percentage changed

Double Orphan Pension

20

20

6

50

1

0

Family Allowancea

115

30

44

23

11

9

Family Tax Benefit Part A

2069

26

473

29

79

16

Family Tax Benefit Part B

588

18

138

34

16

19

Family Tax Benefit

3486

26

759

27

180

8

Family Tax Payment

45

33

10

40

3

0

Maternity Allowance

204

16

54

11

5

60

Maternity Immunisation Allowance

45

38

4

25

1

0

a. Figures for Family Allowance include reviews relating to former Additional Family Payment, which ceased on 1 January 1996.

Low number of complaints relating to Family Assistance Office (FAO) service delivery

7687 complaints were received relating to FAO service delivery as at 30 June 2004. This represents a low number of complaints compared with the total number of FAO customers (around 2 million).


Quantity

Number of FAO claims received by each of the partner agencies: HIC, Tax Office and Centrelink

HIC 126 876; Centrelink 1 178 845; and Tax Office 113 549



Total number of FAO outlets

569 sites: 321 Centrelink customer service centres; 226 Medicare office sites; and 22 Tax Office access sites


Price

$391.1 million — Centrelink

$11.0 million—other




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