Child Support

What child support is available to Irish parents?

The links below are to information held on the OASIS Irish Government website, a site that provides information about public services and the rights of people living in Ireland. We hope this covers a lot of the areas of interest to you, queries in connection with these links should be directed to OASIS and not to Baby-Parenting.com

If you are worried about child abuse of a child, please have a look at our signs and symptoms of child abuse.

Child care support during FAS training courses
Description: FÁS, Ireland's national training and development authority, has a scheme that can help with child care costs if you are attending a vocational training programme.

Maintenance and unmarried couples
Description: This document discusses the law on maintenance and child support for separating unmarried couples.

Dependent Parent's Pension
Description: This gives information about the pensions available to dependent parents whose supporting child dies as a result or while suffering from a work related illness or accident. It also outlines the differing rates of payment.

Consequences of a civil annulment of marriage
Description: This document discusses the legal consequences of having your marriage annulled by a court.

Applying for a judicial separation
Description: This document discusses the steps involved in applying for a judicial separation.

Orphan's Allowance or Pension
Description: Allowances or pensions available to Orphans whether they have PRSI contributions or not. Explanation of other entitlements which may be payable to the Orphan if their parent died as a result of, or while suffering from, a work related illness or accident.

Early Childhood Education
Description: Information on childhood education, including the role of the Department of Education, government policy, and child care regulations.

Back to Work Allowance
Description: Describes the Back to Work Allowance Scheme which is available to certain unemployed people (amongst others) to provide support when they returned to work through a continued partial payment of Social Welfare entitlements and 'secondary benefits'.

Disablement Benefit
Description: An outline of disablement benefit, eligibility requirements, and related social welfare benefits

Home Education
Description: The rights of parents to educate their children at home, and information on the support and lobbying group, 'Home Education Network'.

Child Abuse
Description: Outlines the responsibilities and duties of school management and staff towards child abuse.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Description: Describes the Supplemenatry Welfare Allowance Scheme, including basic payments, supplements, exceptional need / urgent need payments. Outlined the conditions for entitlement to Supplementary Welfare Allowance including the means-test.

Social Work Services
Description: Your health board is obliged to provide social work services for children at risk and for other groups and individuals.

Carer's Allowance
Description: This document describes the Carer's Allowance, which is a means-tested payment to people who care for an incapacitated person.

Fostering and unmarried couples
Description: This document discusses whether unmarried couples can foster a child.

National Educational Psychological Service
Description: The National Educational Psychological Service, is an agency of the Department of Education and Science that provides psychological services in primary and post-primary schools.

Adoptive Benefit
Description: This document describes the Adoptive benefit payment which is paid by DSCFA to people who fulfill certain criteria. It also explains how the rate of payment is calculated.

Carer's Benefit
Description: This document describes carer's benefit, which is a social insurance payment to a person who gives up work in order to care for an incapacitated person.

Health and Safety Benefit
Description: A summary of Health and Safety Benefit for pregnant/breastfeeding women in Ireland.

Assistance for People Seeking Asylum in Ireland
Description: Services you may expect while you are an asylum seeker living in direct provision accommodation provided under the Dispersal Programme.

Fostering and same-sex couples
Description: This document discusses whether same-sex couples can foster children.

Maintenance General
Description: Explanation of procedures involved in an application for a maintenance order in Ireland.