Advice - Dd's father appealing to CSA assessment for maintenance.

[Kimmya]

My dd's father has appealed against his maintenance payments. This procedure started last November and he has postponed the face-to-face appeal to the panel twice now. I got a letter today from the Tribunal Service asking if I wanted to make any written comments about it. Up to now I have not submitted any comments or information. He is appealing against the CSA's calculations which I have nothing to do with. However, this is now dragging on and on and I am wondering whether I should make some sort of official comment on the postponements. For all he knows I could be travelling to the tribunal each time and have made arrangements. I am on income support at the moment so don't get the maintenance payments but hope to return to work sometime soon, but feel I should make every effort to get as much maintenance from him for my dd's sake. He is now married and has two younger dc's and I think he hopes to get out of giving so much to my dd. Should I stir the waters and try to influence a non-attendance tribunal where it has a higher chance of going against the one appellant?

yes. you should. he's arsing around to make things difficult - appealing is one thing, but postponing the face to face twice isn't acceptable. he should want to reach a mutually satisfying conclusion as soon as possible. you're willing to attend and willing to accept the findings of the tribunal ( i assume!) so press ahead.

frankly, he should know that he has to support your dd before he goes off having another two children. 'first' children don't get enough of a priority in the CSAs system. i appreciate that the children of a new relationship aren't at fault, but i do wish people would consider their existing responsibilities before they go off and reproduce again.

I wouldn't call it stirring the waters, I would say that you would be acting with the welfare of your child in mind. Something he isn't.

Go for it, what have you got to lose?

Kimmya my situation was a bit different, my ex refused to pay untill a court order said they would take the money stright from his wages and each time the csa got a new court order he would change jobs so they could not find him and we had to start all over again! (i have 1 son and he went on to have a son 6 mths younger than my ds )

Any way in the end i got to the point i was ringing my case worker every other week till she got sick of hearing from me and she advised me what to do (give them as much info as poss!) which enabled them to to track him when he changed jobs and in my opinion the fact i was being such a pest made then put them pull their finger out to get rid of me

So i would get on the phone and speak to your case worker and ask them for any advice they might have as they will be us to dealing with this proceder and will know what to do to have the biggest inpact and most defently stir the waters what have you got to lose? Remember they always want whats best for the child not the adults.

Take care.