Child Support in South Australia
Child support in South Australia is administered by Services Australia. Parents can apply for an assessment, manage payments and report changes to income or care through the national system.
The information below explains how child support is calculated, what an assessment may cover and how South Australian parents can contact Services Australia.
Child support calculator for South Australia
If you are looking for a child support calculator for South Australia, the calculation is based on income and care rather than where you live or the local cost of living.
Child support is calculated using a formula administered by Services Australia under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989. The main inputs include the parents’ incomes, the number and ages of the children, and the amount of care provided by each parent.
Living in Adelaide or regional South Australia does not change how child support is calculated.
You can obtain an estimate using the Child Support Calculator.
Child support assessment in South Australia
A child support assessment is the formal calculation that determines whether child support is payable, who pays and how much.
The assessment is based on:
- Each parent’s taxable income
- The number and ages of children
- How care is shared between parents
Parents can apply for child support through Services Australia. An application normally requires details about the parents, children and current care arrangements.
Once an assessment is in place, changes to income or care should be reported because they may alter the amount payable.
How much is child support in South Australia?
There is no fixed amount of child support in South Australia. The amount depends on income, care and family circumstances. Statutory minimum and fixed rates apply in some low-income cases.
The examples in How Much Is Child Support in Australia? show how payment amounts change under different income and care arrangements.
What does child support cover in South Australia?
Child support contributes to the ordinary costs of raising children. Parents may use the payment for a wide range of child-related and household expenses. Child support expenses commonly include:
- Food. Groceries and meals.
- Clothing. Everyday wear, school uniforms and seasonal needs.
- Housing. Rent, mortgage payments and utilities.
- Education. General school fees, textbooks and necessary supplies.
- Medical care. Routine healthcare, including doctor visits and medications.
The receiving parent can allocate the funds towards these or other household costs.
Child support contact number and offices in South Australia
South Australian parents can contact the Services Australia Child Support Enquiry Line on 131 272.
The same number is used by parents in Adelaide and elsewhere in South Australia for:
- Assessments and reassessments
- Payments and collections
- Changes to income or care
- General child support enquiries
There is no separate Adelaide child support number. Parents looking for a child support office in Adelaide can use a Services Australia service centre, although most case enquiries are handled by phone or through a Child Support online account.
Other phone services and contact options are included in the Child Support Agency contact details.
Child support and Centrelink
Child support and Centrelink are both administered by Services Australia, but they are separate programs.
Child support deals with financial support between parents. Centrelink payments relate to income support and family assistance. Child support received or paid can affect some Centrelink payments, but the child support assessment is handled separately.
Summary for South Australian parents
- Child support is calculated using income and care
- Services Australia administers assessments and payments
- The Child Support Enquiry Line is 131 272
- There is no separate child support number for Adelaide
- Parents can apply and manage their case online
When does child support end in South Australia?
Child support normally finishes when a child turns 18 and becomes an adult. However, child support can continue beyond 18 to the end of secondary school if an application is made before the child turns 18.
Because South Australia uses a school starting age cut-off of 30 April, child support often ends when a child finishes Year 12. More than half of students turn 18 during their final year.
University study does not qualify. Some first-year university students from South Australia are still 17 when they begin at the University of Adelaide or Flinders University, so child support may continue for a number of weeks.
Related: What Age Does Child Support Stop?