Category: Childrens Matters

In Australia, the terms child support and child maintenance are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday conversation, but they actually refer to different legal obligations based on a child’s age and circumstances. While child support typically applies to children under the age of 18, child maintenance refers to financial support for adult children over 18 in specific situations. Let’s break down the key differences and explain how child maintenance works under Australian law. Child Support vs Child Maintenance: What’s the Difference?...

Understanding Shared Parental Responsibility Shared parental responsibility is governed by the Family Law Act, which determines where children should live and how much time they should spend with each parent or other significant adults in their lives. This law, implemented in 2006, emphasises the need for both parents to consult and agree on major decisions affecting their children. Key Principles of the Legislation The legislation in Queensland outlines that: Parenting is a Shared Responsibility: The law generally requires parents to...