Child Support

Child support is the amount of money a court orders one or both parents to pay each month to financially support the child’s living expense. Child support and custody are related. The amount of time each parent spends with a child will affect the amount of child support ordered by the court.

You cannot refuse to let the other parent see the child just because that parent has not made child support payments. Conversely, you cannot refuse to pay child support because the other parent is not letting you see the child.

Child support payments are usually made until the child turns 18, or 19 if the child is still in full time education, living at home and cannot support themselves.

You can ask the court to make a child support order as part of:

• Divorce, legal separation or annulment
• A petition to establish parental relationship – for unmarried parents
• A domestic violence restraining order – for married or unmarried parents
• A petition for custody and support of minor children (for parents who have signed a voluntary declaration of paternity or are married, or registered domestic partners, and do not want to get legally separated or divorced)