Child Support Agency
Child Support Agency
The Child Support Agency (CSA) is part of the Australian
Government Department of Human Services. CSA’s
role is to support separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of
their children. If you have care of grandchildren who are under the age of 18
years of age, you may be eligible for child support.
Do you have care of your grandchildren?
Sometimes children are cared for by someone other
than their parent – like a grandparent.
As a grandparent carer you can apply for a child support
assessment if you care for a child 128 nights or more a year (35% or more care)
and you are not the child’s adopted parent.
Child support for grandparents who have care of their
grandchildren is usually worked out using a formula based on both parents’ incomes
– similar to how it is worked out for parents. This helps to make sure both
parents contribute to the ongoing costs of raising their children. However,
your income is not taken into account.
The amount of care each parent provides will also be taken
into account, as well as the amount of care that you provide (this is referred
to as the percentage of care). Your percentage of care is usually based on the
number of nights you have care of the child.
Usually an application for child support must be made for
both parents to be assessed for child support. If there are special circumstances
that mean you can for child support from one parent. A slightly different
formula is used, based on that parents income.
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Click Here To Read More CSA Fact Sheets.