| Paying Child Support: It's the Law
- Article from the Department of Revenue |
| It is the law in Florida
that every child has the right to financial support from
both parents until the age of 18. The Department of
Revenue is the state agency responsible for
Florida’s Child Support Enforcement
Program. We locate non custodial parents,
establish paternity, get support orders and
enforce support orders. Florida wants
parents, not the state, to take care of their
children. The Department works with the
courts, law enforcement, other Florida
agencies and all other states to enforce
support orders. |
| Children First |
| Many parents who do not live together share
the cost of supporting their children. These parents see
their children as their responsibility and work hard to
provide for their needs. Other parents need help
from the Child Support Enforcement Program to
comply with their responsibilities. We will work
with parents who want to comply with the law.
However, we will use appropriate enforcement tools
– which may include arrest warrants – to enforce
support orders so that parents, instead of taxpayers,
support their children. Who is the
non custodial parent? The parent (father
or mother) who is not living with the child but who
continues to have a legal responsibility to financially
care for the child. Who is the custodial
parent? The parent (mother or
father) or caretaker with whom the child lives and
who is responsible for the child’s basic needs such
as
housing, food and clothing. |
| Download the full
PDF version of this article |
|
| Florida’s
New Post-Separation Co-Parenting Law |
On October
1, Florida’s new
law governing co-parenting after separation goes into
effect. The new law represents a major rewrite. At least
as far as definitions and terminology. No longer will
the terms custody or primary residential parent or
similar terms be used.
Instead, Florida will join the ranks of states in which
separating parents will have to adopt a parenting
plan … a very, very detailed parenting plan … to
conclude their family court cases.
The new statute’s sponsor is of
the opinion that child custody battles were just about
labels. So now, separating parents won’t have any
reason to fight over child issues. Therefore, family
court litigation will diminish. The new statute’s
sponsor also describes the new law as giving both parents “equal
rights”. Some are hailing the new law as a dramatic
substantive change.Others are saying “the more things change, the
more they stay the same; a rose by any other name”.
Soon enough, time - and Florida’s
court dockets - will tell.
For the full article click: Florida’s
New Post-Separation Co-Parenting Law |
|
10
Things to Do Before Sending a Foster or Adopted Child Back-to-School
by Carrie Craft, About.com
Are you ready to send the kids back-to-school?
What about any new child(ren) that have been placed in
your home either because of adoption or foster care?
Here is a handy checklist to help you send them back-to-school
with less stress. |
1. Health
Healthy kids perform better in school.
|
2. Paperwork
Upon enrollment you will find several forms to fill
out. Go prepared and make sure you have everything on
this checklist for
foster and adoptive children.
- The child's immunization record.
- The child's past school's name and address. This
allows the new school to obtain the child's past school
records.
- Child's Social Security Number - if possible.
- Dr’s name and address and phone number.
- Your friend's or family's information for emergency
contacts
- Social worker's name and number - if the adoption
is not yet final.
- Your Checkbook - for enrollment costs, lab, art,
and other fees.
For the Enrollment of Foster
Children Only - Bring All of the Above Plus
- Birth parent's information (if you have it). Under “Mother
and Father” on the enrollment form enter in the
child's birth family information, minus the phone number,
as you don't want to give out information without speaking
to the social worker on the case first. Write in your
name under “who the child resides with”.
Most forms will have separate areas like this for foster,
kinship, or other guardian arrangements. If not write
your name and basic information under "Mother and
Father" and write in the word "foster" before "Mother
and Father".
-
Social worker's name and number. For emergency contact
information always fill in the social worker, as
well as your family or friends. Also, designate the
social worker as someone who can pick the child up
from school.
- Free and reduced lunches and textbooks form. Foster
children always get lunches and textbooks for free.
You may have to pay for other things like lab or art
fees, so be prepared to write a check for the extras.
|
3. Know the Child's Education Plan
Does the child have an Individual Education Plan(IEP)
for special education, behavior, and/or speech classes?
Foster parents or pre-adoptive parents can not sign an
IEP, only the child's birth parent or an Education Advocate
can sign IEP's or make any changes to the plan. Questions
to ask:
|
4. Practice Address and Phone Numbers
Children new to your home need to know this for safety
and for school. Make sure they know your full name, how
to spell it correctly, and where you work.
- Practice writing the address and phone number.
- Have an index card in the child's backpack with the
needed information.
|
5. Practice the Route to School or to
the Bus Stop
Show the child the route they are to take and make sure
it is a safe route. Walk or bike it with them. Practice
skills such as:
- Crossing the street
- Yielding to traffic
- Stopping at stop signs
- Locking up bikes
- Knowing the correct bus number
Do not assume that your child knows these things. Practice,
even if the child says they know. We have discovered
that most of the children that tell us that they know
how to ride a bike safely, in reality do not. Always
ask them to demonstrate their skills. Try making it a
game instead of a test. Go on a family bike ride. See
how they handle traffic. Don’t forget helmets! |
6. Attend Open House or Tour School Building
You and your child will be able to meet the teachers
and tour the school buildings at open houses. If school
is already in session ask for a tour and to visit the
child’s room when you enroll. I prefer to enroll
a new child on one day, show the child his classroom,
and have them begin the next day. I like to end the trip
with a lunch date out. It gives the child a chance to
digest everything before actually starting school. |
7. Discuss Safe Rides
Make sure the child knows who they can get into a car
with and who they can not.
|
8. Practice Opening Lockers
This is such an embarrassing thing for kids, being late
to class or to gym because they can't open their lockers.
Use the time you have at enrollment or at an open house
to practice. Get a lock at home and practice. |
9. Be Involved with the Child’s
Education and with the School
This is great for foster parents too. Volunteer to be
a room parent and help plan holiday parties for the child’s
class. If you don’t have time to attend school
parties, bake cookies or send a bag of candy. Go on field
trips or volunteer to come in and read to the kids. Most
kids love to see their parents or care givers being involved
in their activities. |
10. Create a Cover Story
A cover story is something that the kids can tell others
about why they are now in your home. This may also be
needed for kids who are newly adopted. Children adopted
internationally may be teased for an ethnic name, different
appearance, or an accent. Foster children adopted over
a summer may have to deal with a new last name and answering
questions about why they could not go back home to birth
parents. For more information on cover stories read, Teaching
Foster/Adoptive Children How to Answer Questions. |
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