Child Maintenance Options is a service from the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) offering information and support about child maintenance by phone, on the Internet and face-to-face.
It was established as part of the last major overhaul of the child support system, with the aim of encouraging more people to sort out maintenance payments without using the CSA or the courts.
The main aim of this evaluation of the CMO service was to find out the effect of the CM Options service telephone helpline on parents using it and specifically whether or not parents were more likely to make child maintenance arrangements following their contact with CMO.
The evaluation concludes that the CMO service had a significant impact on assisting some people to make maintenance arrangements. That conclusion is hardly startling, but some of the other findings from this and other CMEC research about the behaviour and characteristics of separated parents will influence the shape of future maintenance options, especially the Gateway service.
FNF Scotland and other Scottish family support organisations will soon have the chance to visit the CMO helpline centre in Yorkshire. We are keen to ensure that the planned Gateway service is full responsive to the needs of Scottish parents.
0 likes