A group of lawyers, who specialise in family dispute resolution, have issued a series of proposed reforms to help the problematic Child Support Agency. Resolution, which has a membership of 5000 lawyers, called the CSA ‘at its best, a frustratingly slow and ineffective machinery for delivering financial support to children. At its worst, it is a shambles.’

In a report which is being sent to David Blunkett, the association calls for the creation of a child maintenance arbitrator who can impose binding payment orders. They also propose allowing families who are already using the legal system for maintenance payments etc, to have payments enforced by the courts, rather than the CSA.

In particular, the association pinpoints ineffective enforcement as the CSA’s main problem. In a quarter of all cases payment isn’t made or enforced by the agency.

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