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 Department of Human Services (Child Support) 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 Department of Human Services (Child Support) calculates child support
Changing child support assessments and objecting to Department of Human Services (Child Support) decisions
Appealing child support decisions in the Social Security Appeals Tribunal
Court proceedings
Child Support Agreements
Enforcement
Over 18 maintenance
Overseas child support and maintenance

In certain cases we can assist you to follow up your case with the Department of Human Services (Child Support) 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 4, 128 Marsden 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.