Why is it so crap though? Have heard tales on MN of the Canadian/Australian child support system, which seems to actually have teeth and manages to collect far more money, and more quickly too.
Its not even just that the CSA is a bit slow, or loses the odd file. Its almost unbelieveable, the way they fail so spectacularly.
My first case was closed, with no communication to/from me, after a year. They don't know who closed it or why . Then they opened a new one. And sent it to Plymouth - neither myself or ex have ever even been to Plymouth but they insist there is a 'local connection'. Then it was 'suspended'. Then it was reopened and we got a few laughably small payments. Then it was suspended again for reasons unknown. Then I was promised an extra 33p a week towards the arrears - they dont actually know how big the arrears are, as they have never actually done a maintainance calculation. Well, they did one once, but it was disregarded when ex said it was wrong, and they never did another one. They say they can't find ex - he is where he always has been, he just doesn't answer letters which is apparently all it takes to get the CSA to shuddup and fuck off. Now we are getting nothing again. Don't know why.
Pretty much everyone I talk to has similar stories - cases closed, cases lost, cases suspended, staff telling you one thing but if you ring the next day someone else tells you something else, no continuity of case workers, no callbacks when they are promised, no real ability to enforce payment, no answers to simple questions.... I could go on and on.
Why? Its not that hard is it?