MARGATE – The Child Support Enforcement Foundation (CSEF) is a newly formed Caribbean owned non profit agency. Its mission is to improve the lives of children and their families by providing professional, confidential and effective locating, and negotiating services.
If the court has ordered that your children receive support payments and they are currently not receiving those payments because the non custodial parent cannot be found, contact us to assist. Once the individual is located, CSEF negotiates to resume or begin the support payments. CSEF also works with custodial parents in the Caribbean when the non custodial parents reside in the US. Fees for the services range from $0 – $60 based on income.
According to the Federal Office of Child Support over 17 million children are owed more than $120 Billion in arrearage. The same Office reports that 785,079 children in Florida are owed $4.1 Billion. The collection rate in Florida is a dismal 57% which means over 337,000 will not receive their support payments. CSEF was created to help these children.
In 2005, Florida legislators passed SB 1884. This bill will improve the ability of Florida’s Child Support Enforcement Program. However, last year Congress passed the administration’s Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 which decreased funding to the states for child support enforcement services by $4.9 Billion.
This is a reversal to the trend that was established in the 1990’s increasing funding to the states to address this issue. This new turn from the Federal government, quite possible, will have an adverse effect on how Florida supports children and their custodial parents.
With the reduction in funding the services provided by CSEF will become even more critical to our community. When children do not receive their support payments they suffer. There is less money in their households and their custodial parents are likely to seek public assistance.
The Association for Children for Enforcement (ACES) of Support reveals that when children receive their payments they are more likely to have: better grade point averages, significantly better test scores and fewer behavior problems.
CSEF services will provide hope for children and their custodial parents. Hope that they will succeed in school. Hope that they will be elevated out of poverty. Hope that they will not be hungry and hope that they will have a relationship with their non-custodial parents.
Founder and Board Chair, Pete W. McDonald, states that “…these services will improve lives, create opportunities for stronger family ties and higher levels of education.”
You can help CSEF achieve these goals by mailing your tax-deductible contribution to: CSEF, 1919 North State Road 7, Suite 201A, Margate, FL 33063.
