This section describes the services, websites, and publications that can help you with child support.

Services

Child Support Services

Child support services are available in Kelowna, Vancouver, Nanaimo, and Surrey. The provincial government program includes the following services:

• Child Support Officers help parents understand the process to obtain and change child support orders and agreements by consent in Provincial and Supreme Courts
• Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP) Outreach officers provide information about FMEP
• Up to three hours of a lawyer’s time to review options, draft written agreements, and prepare legal documents for court

To make an appointment, call:

• Kelowna: (250) 712-3636 (or toll-free at 1-888-227-7734)
• Vancouver: (604) 660-2084
• Nanaimo: (250) 741-5447
• Surrey: (604) 501-8282

Family Justice Counsellors

Family Justice Counsellors are government employees who work at Family Justice Centres across the province (and sometimes in local courthouses). Family Justice Counsellors help people work out parenting arrangements and other separation issues. They also provide mediation services. However, Family Justice Counsellors are not lawyers. They cannot help you get a divorce.

To contact a Family Justice Counsellor, call Enquiry BC and ask to be put through to one near you:

• 604-660-2421 (from Vancouver),
• 250-387-6121 (from Victoria), or
• 1-800-663-7867 (from outside Vancouver and Victoria).

Or call the nearest Family Justice Centre location directly.

Justice Access Centres

Justice Access Centres are located in Nanaimo, Vancouver, and Victoria. The centres provide a range of services under one roof, including help for people facing separation or divorce.

Websites

FamiliesChange.ca: This website contains information to help all members of the family cope with separation and divorce. There are resources for children, teens, and parents. There is also on online course called Online Parenting After Separation, which helps parents understand the importance of putting the needs of the children first.

Child Support – Ministry of Justice (formerly Ministry of Attorney General): Clear information to help parents understand child support and find help.

Federal Child Support Guidelines: Step-By-Step: This guide includes worksheets to help parents figure out things like special or extraordinary expenses and undue hardship.

Family Maintenance and Enforcement Program (FMEP): Works with both the paying parent and the recipient to try and keep maintenance payments up to date for both child and spousal support.

Family Law in BC: This website explains the law regarding child support, and provides links to other help.

Court Tips for Parents: Provides a series of videos with information on how to file or change a child support order in BC Supreme Court.

Child Support – Dial-a-law script: The BC branch of the Canadian Bar Association provides basic information on child support that is available as online text or as scripted information over the phone. Call 604-687-4680 in the Lower Mainland or 1-800-565-5297 throughout BC. Choose script #117.

JP Boyd’s BC Family Law Resource: This website provides a range of information about family law and has a section dedicated to Child Support.