Child Support Service
Who we are
The Child Support Service is a specialist service which is part of Legal Aid NSW. The service is not part of the Child Support Agency or Centrelink. We can give independent legal advice and our service is completely confidential. We only provide information about you or your case to outside bodies with your permission.
Who we help
We provide free advice and assistance to: paying parents who have to pay financial support for children after separation, and parents and carers who are or should be receiving financial support for children.
How we can help
The Child Support Service offers phone advice and face to face advice at some Legal Aid NSW offices in metropolitan and regional NSW. Appointments are essential. To make an appointment call 02 9633 9916 (Sydney) or 1800 451 784 (regional).
Advice and assistance
We can help with:
- Proving or challenging parentage for child support purposes
- Explaining how the Child Support Agency calculates child support
- Changing child support assessments and objecting to Child Support Agency decisions
- Appealing child support decisions in the Social Security Appeals Tribunal
- Court proceedings
- Child Support Agreements
- Enforcement
- Over 18 maintenance
In certain cases we can assist you to follow up your case with the Child Support Agency or by writing to the other parent.
Representation
In some circumstances, if you need further assistance, one of our lawyers can represent you in tribunal or court proceedings.
You will need to meet Legal Aid's means, merit and policy guidelines to get a grant of legal aid. Our means test looks at how much money you have and how much you own (such as money in the bank).
Our merit test looks at whether your case is likely to succeed. Sometimes we may need to refer you to another lawyer if a lawyer employed by Legal Aid NSW is not able to assist you because of ethical considerations. If this is the case, we will do our best to refer you to another lawyer who will be able to assist you.
Location
Level 5, 91 Phillip Street
PARRAMATTA 2150
Contact us
Ph: 02 9633 9916 or 1800 451 784
Related information
For more information on child support, please view our Child Support Advice brochure.
Our updated factsheets give a range of advice on such matters as paternity, the SSAT and child support proceedings in court. Click on the links below to view or download:
- Child Support Factsheet 1: Taking Action to obtain child support (pdf 70KB)
- Child Support Factsheet 2: Taking action to question paternity (pdf 97KB)
- Child Support Factsheet 3: Starting child support proceedings (pdf 91KB)
- Child Support Factsheet 4: Applying for a stay order (pdf 90KB)
- Child Support Factsheet 5: Child support matters in the SSAT (pdf 91KB)