Please Help Child Support Agency Problem (CSA) Quite Long Sorry

sexy_fufu

Hi All,

Im in a bit of a pickle and im wondering if anyone can help me or even advise me.

My daughter is now nearly 1 years old, her dad as never wanted anythink to do with her and never supported us in any way.

I contacted the Csa when my daughter was a week old, they contacted her dad and he wanted DNA tests, so we all had DNA tests. They proved he was the dad.

Anyway at the time he was self employed, he then changed jobs to work for a employer so the CSA told me they had to get more info for this.

Anyway 5 weeks ago they had all the info they needed and the case was sorted just needed checking to make sure all the details were correct and that i should recieve some money within the next month HOPEFULLY.

Please Note i have rang them up every week without fail for the past 6 months.

So Last week i rang as usual to be told my case worker was of ill and would be in Monday......

So Monday i rang them up, my case worker seems really nice or is it just a put on.

Anyway Monday i was told this.

My case as been lost in the system due to a system fault, its out of her hands now and gone to the incident managment team. She could tell me no more apart from give me a address to complain to,and that should move things abit.

This is my worries

Why did it take the CSA 4 weeks to check the document then lose it ?

Something doesnt add up.

Ive wrote a letter of complaint, 2 days ago recieved nothoing back yet oh and i sent it recorded delivery, what other action can i take and what would you advise ?

I am a single Mother i work full time and have a mortgage, I am finding really hard to cope finacially and any little help i could get of her dad would be great but how can i get the CSA to make him do this ?


Thanks for any help......

Donna xxx

Willowrose_2

Keep trying. In my experience the staff are very helpful and will do their best just keep ringing and pestering. I really hope it works out for you.

pandas66

If you have the time and patience I'd start ringing twice a week. Keep on to them, ask repeatedly how long this is now going to take, who your talking to and keep a very strict account of times, dates of when you ring and speak to someone. If its taken 11 months to get this far then keep at them. Ask if you now have a new case worker or what time scale they have now. Repeatedly ask for a time scale, thats what they work to, ask if the conversation is recorded and if it is that will help as you can repeat all the information to them for them to check over at a later date if anything is in dispute or lost or they don't understand. Keep everything said the same, or as close as possible.
Good luck to you, I am in their clutches and hate it.

MommaCC

Dont think twice about writing a letter of complaint. I did (on the advise of 2 csa employees), my case was then dealt with by the complaints department who are fast, reliable and efficient - all that you would hope the CSA to be.

Good Luck

soon2bjobless

I have had severe problems with the CSA - too long to go into here but they are totally crap! (11 years of problems!!!)

Anyhoo, keep a note of every time you phone them - and also take full names of who you speak to. Always back up your phone call with a letter (again, keep a copy)

Get your MP involved - thats a sure way to get noticed too.

If all else fails, you can contact the Independant Case Examiner (CSA), PO Box 155, Chester, CH99 9SA. They will contact the CSA and get them moving or will investigate (after quite a long period of time again!) any complaints you have about the CSA not doing their job properly.

HTH.

viktory

Isn't it a sad indictment of today's society that there are countless feckless young men who impregnant then leave, wilfully neglecting their responsibilities (and I am not just talking about fiscal responsibilities here).

Thankfully, I have never needed the services of the CSA but like any Government body they sound like they are hell to deal with. I would try and fax as much as possible, as well as sending hard copies in the post (recorded delivery).

I wish everyone who has to deal with them the very best of luck.

sexy_fufu

Thanks Vic.

My Caseworker seemed really nice..........................

But was she just feeding me with what i wanted to hear she did say i could ring her anytime and she will help as much as she can but it was out of her hands.

I did send a letter Recorded Delivery.

shykins

after months of nothing from then i did get my MP involved and it got action pretty darn quick.. i also appealed and got some money from them as it was their fault they caused the delay

mind u after 4 yrs i still get no money off him and he now has bailiffs supposedly attending

wot gets me is that this covers a short period of time btween aug and december .. i asked the caseworker what about from dec to now.. she said they have to start all over again .. wot a waste of time and money.. i fully expect to get nothing off him

good luck xx

Tabbykatt

I have every sympathy for all you guys dealing with any Government body but I do have a question for you all... were you all working Mums/Dads who were looking for direct payment from the absent parent?
The reason I ask is that I am on Income Support and the whole CSA thing lasted about 2 months for my case. It seems very hypocritical of the CSA that any case that relates to the payment being made to the Government rather than the parent should be rushed through and yet all you poor folks have to fight a (sometimes) losing battle to get a penny out of the system.
I am looking on in dread when I finally escape the benefit trap in December but then have to face the up-hill struggle of getting my Ex husband to pay a penny for the upbringing of his children.
Good luck guys!

pandas66

Mine has been a combination of not working and working but the CSA have to collect my money as Ex's used to bounce chqs on me. He was never fined for this even though it caused me more hardship at the time if I was relying on the money. (oops another story)They never garnished his wage though and he never set up a direct debit payment to them. So if by the 14th of the month I hadn't received money I them had to start the process of chasing. Go to the CSA, they go to him, he may (or may not) pay that month, it then gets sent onto me. A couple of times its been too late and he's ended up missing a month altogether that then sneakily ends up in the arrears column and is then forgotten.

shykins

i work part time.. he works full time (sometimes 7days a week) as a self employed gardener and theres the difficulty SELF EMPLOYED>.. they have no way of getting the money out of them other than goin thru the whole court system and getting bailiffs in for each part of the outstanding debt

i have told them all the assets he has but it has been over 2 months since the bailiffs have supposedly been watching him...and even if i do get the £300 i will thenhave to start from the begnning again for the £1000 or so that he now owes in back maintenance

in fact this thread has reminded me i really need to chase the CSA as to whats happening withthe bailiffs

good luck everyone xx