Providing a statement for a parental support gap
Information for registered professionals who may be asked to provide a supporting statement for an 18- or 19-year-old's Parental Assistance Test.
You may be asked to provide a supporting statement for an 18- or 19-year-old applying for Jobseeker Support or an equivalent Emergency Benefit. This information about their circumstances will support their application.
When a supporting statement may be needed
A supporting statement can confirm that a young person cannot reasonably be expected to rely on financial support from their parent or parents. We call this a parental support gap.
Examples may include:
- family breakdown
- family violence or safety concerns
- a parent being unable to provide support because of illness
- a parent being in long-term care
- the death of a parent
- a parent can’t be contacted
- other circumstances affecting the young person's ability to rely on parental support.
Who can provide a statement
A supporting statement can be provided by:
- a registered professional from the education, health, justice or social services sectors with a current practising certificate
- a youth coach assigned by us to a young person getting Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment, and applying for a benefit
- someone else nominated by us if the young person has taken reasonable steps to access a registered professional and has been unsuccessful.
Anyone providing a supporting statement must:
- be aged 20 or older
- not be an immediate family member
- be willing to be contacted by us
- be able to confirm the young person's circumstances.
What to include in a statement
The supporting statement must be completed by someone who knows the young person's situation and can confirm why the young person can’t reasonably rely on their parents for financial support.
The Parental Assistance Test supporting statement form can be used to provide this information and includes:
- your name
- confirmation you are aged 20 or older
- your relationship or role in the young person's life
- registration details, if you are a registered professional
- professional contact details
- your signed declaration.
You also need to:
- confirm you have read or know the young person's information about their support gap
- provide the names of the parents and/or step-parents you believe the young person cannot rely on for financial support.
You can provide any additional information that helps support the young person’s application. If you choose not to use our forms, you can provide this information in a letter.
The young person can submit the statement to us as part of their application, or reapplication.
How to submit a statement
Statements can be provided through the young person as supporting evidence when we they need to do a Parental Assistance Test.
The young person can:
- upload supporting evidence through MyMSD
- upload supporting evidence through Connect if they’re applying through StudyLink
- provide supporting information at their appointment.
After a statement is submitted
We may contact you if we need more information about the statement you've provided.
Providing a statement does not guarantee a particular outcome. We'll consider all information provided as part of the young person's application.
Please only provide information that is relevant to the young person's circumstances and that you are authorised to share.