Best Child Support in Connecticut — 6 resources

About Child Support for Women

Child support is administered state-by-state under the federal Title IV-D program, with every state required to operate a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency. For custodial mothers, these agencies establish paternity, locate non-custodial parents, calculate orders under state guidelines, and enforce payments through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, license suspension, and contempt actions. Services are free of charge. Mothers can also pursue retroactive support and modifications when income changes. The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) oversees the program. This directory includes each state's CSE agency, online support calculators, local enforcement offices, and modification resources.

Child Support in Connecticut

Connecticut's Superior Court handles family matters through regional Judicial Districts and Family Support Magistrate Division locations. The Office of Child Support Services runs enforcement under DSS. Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Bridgeport, and Waterbury are the largest cities. Connecticut Legal Services, Statewide Legal Services, and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) serve women.

6 Resources

1. Connecticut Child Support Services — Free

Connecticut's Bureau of Child Support Enforcement at 25 Sigourney Street in Hartford establishes paternity, sets support orders, garnishes wages, and intercepts tax refunds for custodial mothers. Apply online or call 800-228-5437 weekdays 8am to 5pm. Cases open through DSS or by direct application; non-TANF families pay a small annual fee.

800-228-5437 · 25 Sigourney St, Hartford, CT 06106 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. National Child Support Enforcement Association — Free

NCSEA is the professional association whose Connecticut members run the state's Bureau of Child Support Enforcement. Their resource library explains how Connecticut calculates support using the Income Shares model and how to request a modification when income changes by more than 15 percent.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

The federal directory points Connecticut mothers directly to the Bureau of Child Support Enforcement's Hartford office, the Magistrates' family support division, and the state disbursement unit. One-click access when you need a phone number or address for a specific function.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

Single Mother Guide walks Connecticut moms through opening a IV-D case, what to expect at a magistrate hearing, and how to use the state's child support guidelines worksheet. Articles include screenshots of the actual Connecticut DSS portal.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. Healthy Children — Child Support Basics — Free

The American Academy of Pediatrics' Healthy Children portal covers how Connecticut child support pays for pediatric medical insurance and how the state's medical-support order works alongside cash support. Helpful when negotiating which parent provides HUSKY coverage.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

NFSN connects Connecticut family-strengthening organizations including Family & Children's Aid in Danbury and Wheeler Clinic in Plainville, both of which run support groups for newly custodial mothers navigating child support orders.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in Connecticut?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in Connecticut.
Are child support resources in Connecticut free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in Connecticut are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Connecticut have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Hartford.
What are some examples of child support resources in Connecticut?
Featured entries include Connecticut Child Support Services, National Child Support Enforcement Association, Find Your State Child Support Agency, Single Mother Guide — Child Support, Healthy Children — Child Support Basics.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
1 of 6 Connecticut child support listings include phone numbers.
How do I open a child support case?
Apply free through your state's Child Support Services agency — online, by mail, or in person at the local office. The agency establishes paternity if needed, locates the other parent, calculates the order, and enforces collection through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and license suspension. You don't need the father's cooperation to open a case.
What if the father isn't paying?
Report non-payment to your state Child Support Services agency — they have enforcement tools you can't access alone, including wage garnishment, federal/state tax refund intercepts, passport denial, driver's license suspension, and contempt prosecution. Keep your contact info current with the agency so payments route to you correctly.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes. You first establish paternity — voluntarily through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form, or through a court-ordered DNA test if the father disputes it. Once paternity is legal, the court issues a support order based on his income. The state agency handles the whole process at no cost.
What if my support order is too low?
File a Motion to Modify with the court if there's been a substantial change — his income went up, your costs went up, custody time changed, or it's been 3+ years since the last review. Your state Child Support agency will do a free review every 3 years on request. Modifications aren't retroactive, so file as soon as circumstances change.