Determine absence from the home based on where the absent parent lives. If the caretaker knows the address of the absent parent, verify the address.
Use the following in determining whether or not the parent is absent from the home.
- If the parent lives in the same living quarters, do not consider him/her absent from the home.
- If the absent parent visits the children in the home but lives elsewhere, consider the parent absent. Occasionally the children may not be deprived of parental support even when the absent parent is not in the home (such as joint custody).
- If a parent is absent because of employment but returns to the Temporary Assistance home on weekends or other times when not working, do not consider the parent absent from the home even though he/she maintains another address. Do not consider a parent whose absence is due to military service absent from the home.