3.6.12.220 Referrals to the Carer Specialised Assessment Team (CSAT)

Referral to CSAT

A referral to the CSAT is required where:

• the total DCLA score is within a referral threshold:
  • where the professional questionnaire score is a qualifying professional questionnaire score, but the ACL questionnaire score falls within a referral threshold and the overall result is that the claimant just misses out on a qualifying rating,
  • where indicators within the DCLA trigger a manual flag for a CSAT referral. These manual flags will be limited to a small number of cases where the association of specific answers across a number of questions will generate a flag, OR
• the application of the DCLA is unable to deliver a determination, for example, exchanged care cases with more than one former partner may be of a complexity that requires specialist assessment by the CSAT, OR
• the application of the DCLA, or the customer service advisor, has identified a need for the CSAT in circumstances that are unusual, unique or extreme, and where the consequence of not referring could lead to an inappropriate outcome,

and where the introduction of additional information about the care load may result in qualification for the carer for CP (child).

Referral thresholds

If the DCLA score falls within the following thresholds, the assessment should be referred to the CSAT.

For one or more carers of the same child:

• 70 - 84.9 for children aged less than 3 years, and
• 80 - 84.9 for children aged 3 years or older but less than 16 years.

For 2 or more children of a carer for combined care (1.1.C.195), multiple care (1.1.M.155) and exchanged care (1.1.E.162):

• 80 - 84.9 for any child aged less than 16 years of age.

CSAT recommendation

If the delegate believes that the ACL questionnaire has not accurately reflected the care load requirements of the claimant(s), discretion should be exercised in determining whether further investigation is required by the CSAT.

If the CSAT determines that the ACL questionnaire has not captured the care load requirements, then in most cases the investigation and recommendation should attempt to correct any parts of the ACL questionnaire they believe are incomplete or inaccurate.

The recommendation may require an updated or amended claim to be completed by the claimant or recorded in evidence to enable the claim to be corrected on behalf of the claimant.

Where the CSAT believes there are special circumstances where the ACL questionnaires reviewed do not or cannot accurately reflect the care load, a possible face-to-face discussion and assessment should be considered.

Act reference: SSAct section 38E Disability Care Load Assessment (Child) Determination

Policy reference: SS Guide 1.1.D.170 Disability care load assessment (child) (CP (child), CA (child))

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Last reviewed: 1 July 2010