Child Support Enforcement Collections

How This Program Helps

Child support collections show the total amount of money paid to support children based on existing obligations. These payments help families meet basic needs and provide stability.

Child Support operates 20 district offices across Virginia to support this process. They help:

• Locate parents and employers
• Identify income and assets
• Establish legal parentage
• Set and adjust support amounts
• Collect and send payments to families

Support may also include payments for a child’s health care.

Types of Cases

Operating under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, Child Support handles two types of cases based on a family’s situation:

• Families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding
• Families not receiving TANF (Non-TANF)

Cases may also differ based on whether there is a formal support order in place. Some cases have court or agency-ordered payments. Others may still be in progress.

How Payments Are Managed

The state is responsible for collecting, tracking, and distributing child support payments in many cases.

When possible, payments are taken directly from a parent’s paycheck. This helps provide consistent and timely support for children.

Data Notes

• TANF: cases receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding 
• Non-TANF: cases not receiving TANF funding

Data Sources

Automated Program to Enforce Child Support (APECS)