Child Support Service - Help for people with child support problems
Child Support Service
Help for people with child support problems
The Legal Aid NSW Child Support Service gives you free, independent advice. We are not part of Centrelink or Services Australia: Child Support and we will not give your information to anyone without your permission.
Can I get help?
We can help:
■ parents who have to pay child support;
■ parents who need to get child support for their children; and
■ people looking after children who are not their own because of a family court order
or informal arrangement (for example grandparents, aunts or uncles).
What can I get help with?
■ proof of parentage so you can get child support from your child’s father;
■ getting a higher rate of Family Tax Benefit from Centrelink if you are afraid to apply for child support or you can’t identify or locate your child’s father;
■ any issues related to child support, including collection problems, assessments and agreements; and
■ court proceedings about child support legal issues.
In some cases we can help you to chase up your case with Services Australia or by writing to the other parent.
Representation in a tribunal or a court
Sometimes if you need more help, one of our lawyers can represent you in child support proceedings in a court or at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. To get this help you must fill in an application form for a ‘grant of legal aid’. You can get the application form from our website, from Legal Aid NSW offices or from duty lawyers at local courts. Our staff can help you fill out the form.
The form will ask you about your personal and financial situation. Legal Aid NSW will look at your case and let you know if a lawyer will represent you.
If we are already helping the other party in your legal case we will help you to find a private lawyer.
The Legal Aid NSW Child Support Service runs telephone advice clinics at set times every weekday (Monday to Friday).
Your appointment is free and confidential.
Tell us if you need an interpreter for your appointment.
Remember, we are completely confidential.
Please call us to make an appointment on:
02 9633 9916 (Sydney and metropolitan areas)
1800 451 784 (outside Sydney)
Child Support Service
Legal Aid NSW
Level 4, 128 Marsden Street,
Parramatta NSW 2150
Email: admin.css@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
March 2022