Proving Care of a Grandchild to Centrelink Without Court Orders

Why Evidence Matters

Services Australia does not need a court order to pay you Family Tax Benefit or other family assistance. What they need is proof that the child actually lives with you and that you provide day-to-day care. This evidence replaces the court order — it is how Centrelink verifies informal arrangements.

Getting the evidence right from the start saves weeks of back-and-forth. Incomplete claims get held up, rejected, or referred for a care assessment that could have been avoided.

The Three Core Documents

Form CS4647 — Statutory Declaration

This is the foundation of your care evidence. Form CS4647 is a Commonwealth statutory declaration specifically for non-parent carers. In it, you declare under oath that you are providing day-to-day care of the child.

You sign it in front of an authorised witness — a Justice of the Peace, commissioner for declarations, lawyer, or doctor. Many Queensland courthouses, libraries and police stations have JPs available during business hours, usually for free.

The declaration should state when the child came into your care, the reason the parent is unable to care for them (in general terms), and that you are the person managing the child's daily needs including meals, school, and medical appointments.

Form FA012 — Care Details

Form FA012 captures the specifics of the care arrangement. It asks for the percentage of care you provide, the care schedule, when the arrangement started, and whether the child spends time with other people (including the parent).

If you have sole care, the form is straightforward — 100% care, child lives with you full-time. If care is shared, you need to document the split accurately because Centrelink will divide Family Tax Benefit proportionally between carers.

Third-Party Letters

These letters can corroborate your personal declaration. Services Australia can consider information from independent third parties who interact with the child professionally:

• School principal or guidance officer: a letter confirming you are the primary contact, you attend parent-teacher meetings, you handle school pickup and drop-off
• GP or paediatrician: confirming you attend medical appointments with the child and manage their routine health care
• Childcare or kindergarten director: confirming you manage enrolment, attendance and daily care
• Community support worker: if you are connected with a service like Time for Grandparents or a family support agency

The letter should be on the organisation's letterhead, signed, and dated. It should state the professional's role, how they know the care arrangement, and what they observe about who is providing daily care.

Handling Competing Claims

If the biological parent is currently receiving FTB for the same child and you lodge a claim, Services Australia initiates a formal care assessment and may contact the parent to verify the change of care.

This is where your third-party evidence becomes critical. If the parent disputes your claim — says the child still lives with them, or that the arrangement is temporary — Centrelink weighs your evidence against theirs.

If contact with the parent is unsafe (domestic violence, substance abuse, threats), tell the Grandparent Adviser line (1800 245 965) before lodging. They can process your claim using your independent evidence without forcing contact. Centrelink has specific protocols for family violence situations that protect the carer's safety.

Tips for Stronger Evidence

1. Get letters before you need them. Ask the school and GP for a letter as soon as the child is settled, not after Centrelink asks for it.
2. Date everything. Letters with specific dates carry more weight than vague statements.
3. Keep copies. Scan or photograph every document before submitting. Centrelink sometimes loses paperwork.
4. Save Centrelink reference numbers. Every call and submission generates a reference number. Write it down immediately. If something goes wrong, the reference number is how you prove what you submitted and when.
5. Use the Grandparent Adviser line. They know exactly what evidence satisfies the informal care criteria. A 15-minute call before lodging can save weeks of delays.

If Centrelink Rejects Your Evidence

If your claim is rejected or the care assessment goes against you:

1. Request an explanation of the decision in writing.
2. Lodge a formal internal review by an Authorised Review Officer (ARO) within 13 weeks to preserve backdating.
3. If the ARO upholds the rejection, appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal (Tier 1) — free for social security matters. You can present new or updated evidence at this stage.

Basic Rights Queensland (1800 358 387) provides free advice and advocacy for Centrelink appeals.

The Complete Evidence Kit

The Queensland Kinship Carer Support guide includes a printable evidence checklist, form-by-form instructions for CS4647 and FA012, template text for third-party letters, and an agency contact log. The free checklist gives you the quick-reference list of what to gather.

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