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Elizabeth M. Whitehorn, Director

Child Support and Foster Care Collaboration

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services partnering with child welfare providers.

If My Child Is In Foster Care, Why Might I Have To Pay Child Support?

Supporting your children financially is a responsibility of parenting.

So regardless of whether your child is temporarily placed outside of your home or still in your care, you remain responsible for their financial well-being.

While the children are in foster care, you may be contacted and supported through the process by Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ (HFS), Division of Child Support Services (DCSS). They will work with you to determine your financial responsibility. It is important that you respond to any mailings and appear at all scheduled appointments.

How Long Will I Be Required To Pay Child Support?

You may have to pay child support until one of the following occurs:

  1. The child has returned home to your care.

  2. The child turns 18 or until the child graduates high school or reaches age 19, whichever is earlier.

  3. The child is adopted.

Where Does The Child Support Go?

The child support funds that are collected by DCSS are transferred to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to offset the cost of caring for your child while he/she is in foster care. This collection and transfer is required by the Federal Government.

Other Important Information. . .

While the current child support may have been ended, there may still be a need to pay past-due balances.

If your child is returned to you and the other parent is not living in your home, the other parent may be ordered to pay child support to you.

If payments are not made when child support is ordered, enforcement action may be taken. Enforcement actions may include (but are not limited to):

  1. Tax refund seizure

  2. Possible driver’s license suspension

  3. Bank account seizure

  4. Referral for court action to collect child support

Who Should I Inform If My Situation Changes?

In addition to informing your Foster Care Case Manager, it is important to also inform Illinois Child Support Customer Service when any of the following changes occur:

  1. Address

  2. Phone number

  3. Income/Employer

  4. Name change

  5. Custody change

  6. Change to the support order

Who Should I Contact With My Child Support Questions?

Child Support Services

1-800-447-4278

Automated payment information (24 hours)

You will need to know:

  1. Your Social Security number

  2. The date of birth of a child on the case

The automated voice response will tell you:

  1. When an appointment is scheduled

  2. When a payment was received

  3. The amount of the payment

For more case information, speak with a Customer Service Representative by calling between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Helpful Web sites:

HFS 8248 (R-7-10)