Child Support Service

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.

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.

Remember, any conversations with us are completely confidential.

Where can I get more help?

March 2022