Last amended: 14 August 2013
During the time that the S17 lump sum portion (payable to a child under 18) is held in trust by DVA, the child's parent or guardian may be able to access these funds if it can be shown that this is to the benefit of the child. That parent or guardian may approach the Rehabilitation and Benefits section with a specific proposal for money to be paid from the fund for such things as clothes, school expenses, computers and other items.
The request must be in writing and demonstrate financial need/hardship, the reason the proposed item(s) are required or are to the benefit of the child, contain quotes (for any large expensive items) and as much other information as is required to demonstrate that the request is reasonable.
This submission is to be considered by the Rehabilitation and Benefits section and (if approved) the relevant amount of money will be released.
However, apart from advising parent/guardians of their potential access to these trust monies in the terms set out above, MRCC delegates do not have any role in this process. The money is in the control of the Department and MRCC delegates have no input into the consideration of any request for access to those funds, nor are MRCC delegates a conduit for the on-forwarding of any such request to the Rehabilitation and Benefits section.
Any request for access to funds by the parent/guardian should be made directly by that person to the Rehabilitation and Benefits section and not to or through MRCC delegates. Furthermore, delegates should not be drawn into commenting on the merits of any submission.
Requests can either be sent via email to the “SRCA Trust” mailbox address or via regular mail to the following address:
Director
Rehabilitation and Benefits
Department of Veterans' Affairs
PO Box 9998
BRISBANE QLD 4001