National Judicial Child Support Task Force Guide Florida Child Support Lawyer

Why a Collaborative Planning Guide?

The National Judicial-Child Support Task Force is offering this Planning Guide in an effort to promote and support judicial-child support agency collaboration efforts nationwide. It is consistent with the Task Forces Strategic Plan mission statement - to engage Federal, State and Tribal child support programs and judicial/legal systems in collaborative efforts to better serve the needs of children and families and guiding principle - the measure of the best interest of children goes beyond the collection and disbursement of child support.

Promoting and enhancing collaboration between the judiciary and child support enforcement agencies is generally accepted as a critical component of any attempt to address child support issues of mutual concern. Collaboration may also be the key to fulfilling our commitment to children and families. Children in need of financial and emotional support from either or both parents should arguably have the benefit of a cooperative network of pertinent government entities that work to overcome differences and obstacles and promote the efficient and fair establishment and subsequent enforcement of child support orders.

In order to achieve the highest level of interest and participation, the Task Force is prompting relevant national organizations and associations to encourage their members (potentially ranging from child support directors to chief justices, Tribal judges and court administrators) to commit to collaborative initiatives and participate in appropriate collaboration activities.

We hope this Planning Guide, which is based, in part, on existing best-practice activities, will be a useful tool for any jurisdiction wishing to attempt collaboration. We believe that adopting and incorporating a collaborative philosophy is a major step toward the establishment of comprehensive and seamless child support enforcement systems and one that can support a continuing integrated planning process to ensure excellence in child support procedures, policies and outcomes.