Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures
This consultation sets out the Government's vision for transforming the child maintenance system so the emphasis is placed on supporting families to make their own arrangements. We set out details of our proposals for co-ordinating support services for separated and separating families and outline the way in which the new statutory child maintenance scheme will operate. We also set out further information on our proposals for introducing service charging to encourage collaboration, the way in which victims of domestic violence will be treated and the process of closing existing CSA cases, and ask specific questions on these aspects of our plans.
We are sorry that we cannot access some responses emailed to us before 10 August 2012. This is because of a technical problem. If you emailed your response before this date, please send it again.
Who this consultation is aimed at
We want to hear from all who are interested in child maintenance and wider family and children's issues. We welcome contributions from:
- parents who live apart
- representative organisations for parents who live apart or their children
- representatives of the legal profession
- organisations that represent families and children, and
- members of the general public with an interest in child maintenance issues.
The consultation
Rich Text Format
Welsh executive summary
Related documents
- Impact Assessment – Child maintenance reforms: case closure, charging, supporting family-based arrangements (407KB)

- Equality impact assessment – Child Support Fees Regulations 2012 (139KB)
- Draft regulations – Child Support Fees Regulations 2013 (52KB)

- Draft regulations – The Child Support (Ending Liability in Existing Cases and Transition to New Calculation Rules) Regulations 2013 (45KB)

Research
Cost of CSA enforcement actions
This research was originally published by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. The purpose of this document is to outline the methodology used to estimate the full costs in 2011/12 associated with performing enforcement actions available to the Commission.
Estimating the impacts of CSA case closure and charging for the new Child Maintenance Service
CSA client surveys were conducted during summer 2011. On 6 August 2012 we published details, results and the full analysis undertaken on those surveys in developing key Commission planning estimates related to case closure and charging.
- Estimating the impacts of CSA case closure and charging for the new Child Maintenance Service (907KB)

- CSA case closure and charging client surveys – tabulations of results. (343KB)

How to respond to this consultation
Start date 19 July 2012
End date 26 October 2012
Please ensure your response reaches us by that date.
You can respond by email or post to:
Email: consultation.responses@childmaintenance.gsi.gov.uk
Child Maintenance
Department for Work and Pensions
7th Floor Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
More information
Our How we consult page has more information about the code of practice we follow and explains how we deal with responses.
