Congratulations on becoming a parent! Whether through the birth or adoption of a child, the following information is intended to outline the programs, policies and plans under which you and your family may be covered.

You may want to know…

• What documentation concerning your children should you provide to the Government of Canada Pension Centre?
• Are your children covered under your insurance benefit plans?
• What types of protection does your pension plan offer for your children?
• Can you take a leave of absence to care for your children? If so, how does it affect your pension?

What documentation concerning your children should you provide to the Government of Canada Pension Centre?
You should provide proof of the age of your children to the Government of Canada Pension Centre as soon as possible. In the event of your death, the Pension Centre needs this information to provide benefits to your children. We recommend that you send the following documents:

• Proof of age: A birth certificate issued by a civil authority, or a baptismal certificate. It must show the date of birth. In addition, the baptism must have taken place before your child was 5 years old;
• Adoption papers;
• Evidence of guardianship

Are your children covered under your insurance benefit plans?
Yes. Your children may be covered under your various insurance benefit plans as dependants. To find out what coverage can be extended to your children, the steps you must follow and the deadlines for enrolling new dependants, refer to the following information:

The Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) provides optional health care coverage for Public Service Health Care Plan members and their eligible dependants. Your dependant children, include legally adopted children and children of your spouse or common-law partner provided:

• the child is under the age of 21;
• the child is under the age of 25 and attending an accredited school, college or university on a full-time basis;
• a mentally or physically impaired child, dependant upon you for support and maintenance, who become impaired while he/she was of age to be considered a dependant child under the plan.

If your PSHCP coverage type is already Family, an amended application is not required. In the event you have Single coverage, however, an amended application will be required. Amending your coverage type can be accomplished by completing and submitting either an electronic application using the secure online Public Service Health Care Plan Web Application on the Compensation Web Applications (CWA) or, if you do not have access to CWA, you can complete and submit a paper application form (www) to your designated compensation advisor.

The Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) provides Public Service Dental Care Plan members and their eligible dependants with coverage for specific dental services and supplies that are not covered under a provincial health or dental care plan.

To be eligible as a dependant child under either of the above plans, the child must be unmarried and dependant on you for support. The child must also be either under the age of 21, or under the age of 25 and a full-time student.

The Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) provides group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, dependants' insurance and long-term disability insurance to Public Service Management Insurance Plan members. Members are generally those who are employed in managerial or confidential positions. As a plan member, you can apply for Dependant's Insurance (life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage) for your child or the child of your spouse or common-law partner.

To be eligible as a dependant child under the PSMIP, the child must be over 14 days of age, unmarried, not employed on a regular, full-time basis and dependant on you for support. The child must also be either under the age of 21, or under the age of 25 and a full-time student enrolled in a school or university.

What types of protection does your pension plan offer for your children?
In case of your death, your dependant children may be entitled to a Child Allowance under the public service pension plan. To be eligible for an allowance, your child must normally be under 18 years of age. However, children between 18 and 25 may receive allowances if they are enrolled in school or another educational institution full-time and have attended continuously since their 18^th birthday or the date of your death, whichever occurred later. The allowance is equal to one tenth of your pension for each child (to a maximum of four tenths).

Can you take a leave of absence to care for your children? If so, how does it affect your pension?
You may be eligible to apply for a parental type leave. You can review your collective agreement and /or contact Human Resources to determine the types of leave without pay available to you. Information on the pension implications of taking a leave of absence to care for your children can be found in the Leave Without Pay Information package.