What is meant by substantial disruption?
When considering whether household services are reasonably required, section 215(g) of MRCA and section 29(2)(e) of DRCA require a Delegate consider the need to avoid substantial disruption to the employment or other activities of members of a veteran’s household.
It is not considered reasonable that household members be required to give up employment, educational, sporting, recreational or community commitments in order to provide additional household support to a client. Delegates are expected to consider each client's individual circumstances when making decisions about what it is reasonable to expect family members to contribute to helping with the proper running and maintenance of their household.
Examples
- A veteran’s partner works in a very demanding job, which includes periods of time away from home for work purposes. There is less flexibility for the partner to undertake tasks that the veteran may have been responsible for, prior to their service-related injury or disease. This may lead to a Delegate to consider that taking on these tasks would be challenging and create substantial disruption for the partner.
- The veteran’s household includes a 3-month-old baby, a toddler and a four-year-old child who is experiencing a range of health issues. In this circumstance, taking on some of the household tasks that the veteran used to be responsible for prior to their service-related injury or disease is likely to be particularly burdensome for the partner while they are managing challenging parenting responsibilities.
- There are 3 young adults living with the veteran. None are working or studying full time. The lawned area of the garden is relatively small and flat. A Delegate may consider that lawn mowing is not an onerous task and would not create a substantial burden for young adult family members to complete.
Additional supports available through other DVA programs
Where there are indicators that a client is struggling to manage the impact of their service related injury or disease, and is risk of crisis, a Delegate may consider referring the veteran to programs such as WASP or the Acute Support Package for additional support.