Children are at the heart of what we do
Both parents play an important role in raising a healthy child. As parents, you have equal rights to be informed and have access to services that will assist you in providing support for your children. Regular child support payments help families meet their children’s daily needs, including food, shelter and health care.
Professional staff of the Connecticut Department of Social Services Office of Child Support Services and Judicial Branch Support Enforcement Services work together, with legal assistance from the Office of the Attorney General, to provide child support services to families.
What Child Support Services does the State of Connecticut offer?
• Locating noncustodial parents
• Establishing legal parentage of children
• Establishing financial, medical and childcare orders
• Collecting and distributing child support payments
• Reviewing and modifying child support orders, if appropriate
• Enforcing child support orders
• Service of process in child support matters
How do I apply for child support services?
The first step is to contact a local branch of the Office of Child Support Services at the Department of Social Services. Please see the list of offices and phone numbers in this pamphlet. The Child Support Call Center at 1-800-228-KIDS(5437) will also provide information about applying. Helpful information is also at www.ct.gov/dss/childsupport, or can be found at any Judicial Branch Support Enforcement Services office. There is no fee to apply for child support services. However, you may be charged an annual service fee of $35.
How is child support collected?
Methods include:
• Income withholding
• Interception of federal and state tax refunds
• Credit bureau reporting
• Liens on real estate and personal property
• Seizure of financial assets
• Passport denial
• Interception of lottery winnings
Court-based Support
The Judicial Branch Support Enforcement Services is responsible for all court-based enforcement actions, including:
• Contempt applications
• Reviewing and/or modifying your financial, medical and/or childcare orders
Either parent can request a review of the support order to see if it should be changed. Requests for a review should be made to your local Support Enforcement Services office.
For more information about these services, please visit www.jud.ct.gov/childsupport/
Please client here to view the full Child Support Services in Connecticut guide.
