The Agency can assist in obtaining a child support order against a parent who is not living with and directly supporting his or her child. This can be in a situation where parents are married but separated and not pursuing a divorce, or a situation where paternity was established but no support order made (because the parents were living together at the time), or in a situation where a child is temporarily placed in foster care or an alternate care placement.
The Agency will investigate how much the other parent earns and determine how much child support would be under the percentage standards. The Agency uses the State Percentage Standards (DWD40) to determine support unless there is a good reason to deviate from them. Then it will first try to get an agreement from the other parent to pay support. If no agreement is reached the Agency will file a motion to establish an order.
