FAQ: Who decided how much children cost?
In 2005, an independent Child Support Taskforce and Reference Group conducted and reviewed research into the costs of children in Australia and recommended a new way of calculating child support payments based on their findings. Changes to the formula were introduced this year.
Taskforce and Reference Group members had expertise in a variety of areas, including social and economic policy, family law, post-separation parenting and relationships. Some members also represented child support customers.
The Taskforce conducted new Australian research, and reviewed Australian and overseas research into the costs of raising children, and considered other factors such as households with different income levels, different numbers of children and children of different ages and reached the best and most up-to-date estimates for the costs of children.
More information about the research into the costs of children is available:
In the Best Interests of Children - Reforming the Child Support Scheme - summary (PDF 265k)
Updated: 23 Sep 2009
Categories: Parents
Sub-categories: The formula