Review the evidence in file to identify another responsible adult or agency who is
most likely to assist in pursuing the claim. Make a reasonable judgment, based on
the information in file or provided by the applicant, to determine if there is another
responsible party who can help the child pursue the claim.
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Child welfare or other agency has legal custody of the child:
If the applicant is not cooperating, contact the agency with legal custody to request
the needed information or assistance. An agency with legal custody is responsible
for providing the information we need, even if the applicant is someone else (for
example, a foster parent with physical custody).
NOTE: Information about a legal guardian is in Section 2A of the SSA-3820 or the Case
Information screen on the Case Data tab in eView.
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Child resides with the uncooperative applicant and another parent, relative, or adult:
Consider contacting another adult in the household.
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Child resides with someone other than the applicant:
Consider contacting the person with whom the child is residing if the applicant is
not cooperating. For example, the child's mother is the applicant but the child resides
with the grandmother. Consider contacting the grandmother to assist the child in pursuing
the claim.
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Child regularly cared for in another household:
If the child is frequently in the care of a relative who does not live in the same
household, consider asking that person to assist the child.
NOTE: If the field office (FO) has not identified a third-party contact, the DDS is
only required to contact an identified legal guardian. Although they must consider
contacting other third parties, they may determine that further contact is not appropriate
based on the facts of the case.