Following the introduction of the Child Support Scheme (CSS) in Australia in 1988, the number of child support cases increased considerably throughout the 1990s, with further increases in case numbers continuing through the early 2000s. From around 2014, the child support case numbers began to decline. Given the decline in case numbers, this report considers how the characteristics of the population using the scheme have changed. This downward trend is inconsistent with the population trend.

Services Australia administers the CSS via the Child Support Program (CSP). This report examines the extent to which cohorts of families are using the scheme now compared to nearly a decade ago. It focuses on the changes over the 9-year period from 2015 to 2024, for which detailed data were available when this report was prepared.

The analysis highlights the complexities of understanding the links between Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and the CSP. It is critically important to understand the key drivers of the decline in the CSP coverage and how separated parents, especially the parents who are the main carers of their children, meet the financial needs of their children.

Key findings

• The number of active cases in the CSP has steadily declined from 2015 to 2024 by nearly 10.5%.
• This is inconsistent with demographic changes, which indicate separated families have increased in number. 
• Changes in eligibility for FTB Part A may have played a role in declining CSP numbers.
• The analysis of family incomes for children with separated parents shows this is more likely to have affected separated parents who have re-partnered rather than single parents.