When someone close to you dies, it can be a very difficult time, especially if that person is your child or someone you have depended on for emotional or financial support. There are a number of community organisations and services which can help you deal with your grief and loss.
See Where can I find support and assistance?
Your child support payments will cease. However, child support can be paid to non-parent carers (eg. Grandparents), if your children are taken into the ongoing daily care of someone other than yourself, and that person makes an application for child support. You will still need to work out child support arrangements with the new carer.
If you become the children's ongoing carer, you cannot ask for child support. This is because child support can only be paid by the natural or adoptive parent.
Child support payments will end for that child. If you have other children you currently pay child support for, payments for them will continue. If this situation applies to you, you or a representative (such as your new partner, your solicitor or family member) needs to contact CSA as soon as possible.
If the deceased child was in your care and was a relevant dependant, you also need to contact CSA as soon as possible. This is because the number of dependent children you have affects the amount of child support you pay.
You may need to have the order amended to reflect the new circumstances. Please check the order and call the Family Court of Australia if you have any questions.
The Community Services Directory lists a variety of organisations providing information, guidance and support when there has been a death.
The scheme
