Family Assistance Office

Extending the time for taking reasonable maintenance action from 28 days to 13 weeks

From January 2007, the period in which a parent must begin taking action to obtain child support was extended from 28 days to 13 weeks.

Before January 2007, separating parents only had 28 days to negotiate parenting arrangements and apply for child support to avoid a reduction in their FTB Part A payments. This had the potential to increase conflict rather than encourage reconciliation or cooperation.

Now parents have 13 weeks - a much more reasonable period - to enable contact with a Family Relationship Centre or other support service in order to agree post-separation arrangements (including the negotiation of cooperative parenting arrangements through a parenting plan).

Changes to Family Assistance