Managing and Monitoring Appointments Guideline
Document change history
Version / Start date / Effective date / End date / Change and location /1.0 / 04 04 2016 / 04 04 2016 / Original version of document
Explanatory Note
All capitalised terms have the same meaning as in the ParentsNext Deed (the Deed). In this document, ‘must’ means that compliance is mandatory and ‘should’ means that this represents preferred practice.
Disclaimer
This Guideline is not a stand-alone document and does not contain the entirety of ParentsNext Project providers’ obligations.
It must be read in conjunction with the Deed and any relevant Guidelines or reference Material issued by Department of Employment under or in connection with the Deed.
Summary
This Guideline provides information on the policy and processes that ParentsNext Project providers (Project providers) need to use to assist Participants plan and prepare for employment.
Project providers must deliver Appointments to each Participant in accordance with the Deed, relevant Guidelines and the Project Delivery Plan and ensure that these Appointments are tailored to the circumstances of each individual and their family. Project providers should use Appointments to discuss a Participant’s education and employment related goals and monitor their participation in Activities that will help them achieve their goals. Appointments are an opportunity to review and update Participation Plans.
Policy Intent
Attendance at Appointments is an important first step in helping Participants to identify pathways to employment. Attendance is part of the participation requirements for Compulsory Participants in ParentsNext.
Through regular Appointments, a Project provider can build the rapport and trust that is necessary to help a Participant identify and work towards achieving their education and employment related goals. Getting to know a Participant will help the Project provider to determine the most effective re-engagement strategies if the Participant fails to attend their Appointments and Activities. Project providers have the flexibility to choose when to use the ParentsNext Compliance Framework, and when to use an alternative strategy instead. A Scheduled Appointment must occur once every six months, at a minimum; Appointments can be conducted more frequently if the Project provider considers that this will improve a Participant’s engagement in the Project.
At Appointments, the Participant and Project provider should review the Participant’s goals, monitor progress towards the goals and review and update the Participation Plan in light of progress and any change in circumstances of the Participant or their family. A Participant and their Project provider will use Appointments to identify suitable local services and activities to prepare the Participant for employment.
Relevant Deed clause/s
The relevant clauses in the ParentsNext Deed include:
· Clause 1—Definitions and Interpretations
· Clause 29—Customer Feedback Process and Customer Feedback Register
· Clause 30—General
· Clause 34—Personal and Protected Information
· Clause 70—ParentsNext Project Guarantee and Project Delivery Plan
· Clause 72—Referrals by DHS and the Department
· Clause 77—Appointments and Contacts with Participants
· Clause 78—General Requirements for a Participation Plan
· Clause 81—Performance Indicators
· Clause 83—Assistance
· Clause 84—Services in the Local Government Area and Excluded Referrals
· Clause 85—Work Readiness Assessments
· Clause 86—Mutual Obligation Requirements
· Clause 91—Monitoring
· Clause 92—Non-compliance action
· Clause 94—Recording Attendance
· Clause 95—Issuing and recording Notification
· Annexure A1—Definitions
Relevant references
Reference documents relevant to this Guideline include:
· ParentsNext Compliance Framework Guideline
· Direct Registration Guideline
· Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline
· Job Seeker Classification Instrument Assessment Guideline
· Work Readiness Assessment Guideline (when available)
· Eligibility, Referral and Commencement Guideline
· Privacy Guideline
· Transfers, Suspension, Exemption and Exits Guideline
· ParentsNext Project Guarantee
· Project Delivery Plan
· Social Security Act 1991
· Social Security (Administration) Act 1999
· Guide to Social Security Law.
Managing and Monitoring Appointments Guideline Effective Date: 4 April 2016
TRIM ID: D16/377560 1
Appointments
Process
/Details
/Appointments with Participants
Deed clause references:
· Clause 70· Clause 77 / A Project provider must conduct Appointments with Participants in accordance with the Deed, Guidelines and the Project Delivery Plan.
Project providers must meet regularly with each Participant to check on their progress and update their Participation Plan. At a minimum, a Project provider must conduct an Initial Appointment followed by one Scheduled Appointment every six months, for each Participant.
The Project provider will also conduct Re-engagement Appointments with a Participant, if and when required.
The ParentsNext Project Guarantee and Project Delivery Plan must be prominently displayed at the Project provider’s offices and Sites and made available to Participants as required.
Initial Appointment
Deed clause references:
· Clause 29· Clause 34
· Clause 77
· Clause 78
· Clause 83
· Clause 84
· Clause 85
· Clause 94 / An Initial Appointment must occur when:
· a Participant (Voluntary or Compulsory) commences in ParentsNext
· a Participant relocates within their current Local Government Area and their new location is not within a reasonable distance (for example 60 minutes travelling time) of their current Project provider Sites and they transfer to a new Project provider (see Transfers, Suspension, Exemption and Exits Guideline)
· a Compulsory Participant transfers to a different Local Government Area where ParentsNext operates and is transferred to a new Project provider (see Transfers, Suspension, Exemption and Exits Guideline)
· a Voluntary Participant relocates to a different Local Government Area where ParentsNext operates, is Exited from ParentsNext using the Department’s IT Systems but wishes to continue in ParentsNext and approaches a Project provider at the new location
· a Participant has previously Exited from ParentsNext but meets the eligibility criteria and commences again in ParentsNext. This may be a Compulsory Participant identified and referred to a Project provider by the Department of Human Services, or a Voluntary Participant who Directly Registers with a Project provider before 31March2018.
For an Initial Appointment, the Project provider must meet face to face (unless there are exceptional circumstances, or the Department agrees otherwise) with the Participant at the Project provider’s premises or other suitable, agreed, venue.
At the Initial Appointment the Project provider must:
· confirm the identity of the Participant by sighting suitable proof of identity, such as photo ID, and record this in the Department’s IT Systems
· outline the objectives of ParentsNext and the assistance it will deliver to the Participant
· provide the Participant with a Privacy Notification and Consent Form; ensure that the Participant is aware of the types of personal information they may be required to provide and how this information will be used, protected and disclosed; ask the Participant to sign the form; and retain a copy of the completed form (refer to the Privacy Guideline)
· where the Participant fails to sign the Privacy Notification and Consent Form, explain the limitation on providing assistance if they do not sign (refer to Privacy Guideline)
· if required, conduct a Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) Assessment (refer to the Job Seeker Classification Instrument Assessment Guideline)
· for Compulsory Participants, explain their participation requirements and responsibilities under the Social Security Law, such as advising the Department of Human Services if their circumstances change (refer to the Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline)
· for Voluntary Participants, explain the consequences of failing to actively participate in ParentsNext (refer to Transfers, Suspension, Exemption and Exits Guideline)
· help the Participant to identify their short and long-term employment and education related goals and a pathway to achieving the goals, taking into consideration individual and family circumstances
· assist the Participant to identify local activities and services that can help them achieve their goals
· negotiate a tailored Participation Plan that contains the Participant’s goals and agreed Activities
· explain that the Participation Plan can be signed at the Initial Appointment or within four weeks of the Initial Appointment and how to do this (refer to the Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline)
· refer the Participant to Activities or discuss when referrals will be made, as appropriate
· from 1 July 2016 (or other date advised by the Department), if the Participant is a Work Readiness Participant, conduct a work readiness assessment using the work readiness assessment instrument approved for the Project (refer to the Work Readiness Assessment Guideline)
· schedule the next Appointment
· explain the Customer Feedback process
· record the Participant’s attendance at their Initial Appointment in the Electronic Diary in the Department’s IT Systems by the close of business on the day of the Appointment.
If a Compulsory Participant fails to attend an Initial Appointment refer to the ParentsNext Compliance Framework.
Scheduled Appointments
Deed clause references:
· Clause 77· Clause 78
· Clause 83
· Clause 84
· Clause 85
· Clause 94 / Project providers must conduct a Scheduled Appointment with each Participant once every six months, at a minimum. Scheduled Appointments are designed to enable the Participant and their Project provider to:
· review the Participant’s attendance at and progress with the activities listed in their Participation Plan, with a focus on participation in the Compulsory Activity for Compulsory Participants
· update the Participation Plan to reflect new goals and Activities, as appropriate. For example, where a Participant has completed a training course, they may need a new Activity; or if a Participant’s circumstances have changed and they can no longer participate in a certain Activity then another more suitable Activity can be entered into the Participation Plan). Refer to the Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline.
Scheduled Appointments should be conducted face-to-face, however they can be conducted by telephone or video as agreed to by the Participant and the Project provider.
At Scheduled Appointments, Project providers must:
· assist the Participant to review their long-term and short-term goals and activities and update the Participation Plan if necessary, taking into account any change in circumstances
· confirm that a Compulsory Participant is actively engaged in their Compulsory Activity, discuss their attendance at this Activity and how the Activity is helping them prepare for employment
· determine if the Participant requires a new Activity, particularly where one has been completed or the Participant is unable to participate in an existing Activity; record any new Activity in the Department’s IT Systems
· if required, help the Participant to identify appropriate local services to assist them to achieve their goals and refer them to the services
· from 1 July 2016 (or other date advised by the Department), if the Participant is a Work Readiness Participant, conduct a work readiness assessment using the work readiness assessment instrument approved for the Project (refer to the Work Readiness Assessment Guideline)
· record a Participant’s attendance at their Scheduled Appointment in the Electronic Diary in the Department’s IT Systems by the close of business on the day of the Appointment
· schedule the next Appointment.
Note: a Project provider should advise a Participant to inform the Department of Human Services if a change in circumstances is relevant to their income support payment (for example a change in living arrangements).
Compulsory Participant
Where a Participant fails to attend a Scheduled Appointment refer to the ParentsNext Compliance Framework and the Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline.
Voluntary Participant
A Voluntary Participant who misses two Scheduled Appointments in a row must be exited. Refer to the Transfers, Suspension, Exemption and Exits Guideline for more information.
Re-engagement Appointment – Compulsory Participants only
Deed clause references:
· Clause 72· Clause 77
· Clause 78
· Clause 83
· Clause 84
· Clause 94 / The Department of Human Services will attempt to contact a Compulsory Participant whose income support payment has been suspended as a result of the Participant:
· failing to attend their Compulsory Activity; or
· failing to attend an Appointment with the Project provider; or
· not entering into a Participation Plan with the Project provider, within the required timeframe.
If the Department of Human Services makes contact with the Compulsory Participant and the Participant agrees to attend a Re-engagement Appointment with their Project provider, the Department of Human Services will book the Re-engagement Appointment in the Project provider’s Electronic Diary in the Department’s IT Systems.
Project providers must meet with Participants for Re-engagement Appointments. At a Re-engagement Appointment the Project provider must:
· confirm the identity of the Compulsory Participant
· explain the participation requirements and the ParentsNext Compliance Framework to the Participant
· discuss the circumstances that led to the submission of the ParentsNext Compliance Report to the Department of Human Services
· discuss with the Participant their level of engagement and address issues that are preventing satisfactory participation in the Project
· assist the Participant to review their education and employment goals and activities and update the Participation Plan if necessary, taking into account any changes in their personal or family circumstances
· discuss the Participant’s progress with the Compulsory Activity and any other activities in the Participation Plan
· determine if the Participant requires a new or different Activity, for example an Activity has been completed or the Participant is unable to participate in the specified Activity, and record the Activity in the Department’s IT Systems
· if required, assist the Participant identify appropriate local services to assist them to meet their goals and refer them to the services
· record the Participant’s attendance at the Re-engagement Appointment in the Electronic Diary in the Department’s IT Systems by the close of business on the day of the Appointment
· schedule the next Appointment.
Where a Participant fails to attend a Re-engagement Appointment refer to the ParentsNext Compliance Framework and the Participation Requirements and Participation Plan Guideline.
Electronic Diary, Booking Appointments and Appointment Timeslots
Deed clause references:
· Clause 30· Clause 72
· Clause 77 / The Electronic Diary in the Department’s IT Systems facilitates the delivery of the Project and engagement of Participants with their Project provider. Appointments can be booked by Project providers and the Department of Human Services. The Electronic Diary allows different types of Appointments to be booked and facilitates the electronic exchange of Appointment and attendance information between a Project provider and the Department of Human Services.