The Performance Of The Child Support Agency

Incorporating previously unpublished HCP 928-i, -ii, -iii, session 2003-04

The Committee's report examines continuing concerns about the performance of the Child Support Agency (CSA), particularly in relation to its compliance and enforcement regime. Issues discussed include: the old and new child support schemes; performance targets and information management; the IT problems encountered; child support assessments; compliance targets and debt levels; enforcement measures in the UK and other countries, notably Australia; staffing issues including staff training, job cuts, pay and morale; and options for urgent action and longer term reforms. The CSA is found to be a failing organisation which is currently in crisis, and requires radical reform in order to provide an acceptable service. Senior management has failed to provide effective leadership through significant cultural shift, with deficient training given to frontline staff and inadequate monitoring procedures in place. The Committee strongly recommends that proposed job cuts be suspended until the Agency's business transformation programme, including its IT system, is proved to be fully functioning. If the recommended improvements are not made, the CSA may need to be wound up and alternative policies implemented to provide financial support and maintenance for children.

A report that discusses the problems experienced in the child maintenance system since the establishment of the Child Support Agency in 1993. It covers the changes in legislation; the introduction of a 'twin-track' approach with the three year Operational Improvement Plan and the establishment of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

The Child Support Agency (CSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions. Its role is to ensure that parents who live apart meet their financial responsibilities to their children through the assessment and payment of child support maintenance. This annual report covers the period 2002-03 and reviews the agency's activities and performance, accounts and future plans.

This document sets out the Government's response to the report by the Work and Pensions Select Committee (HCP 219-I, session 2006-07; ISBN 9780215033109) on the Government's White Paper 'A new system of child maintenance' (Cm. 6979, ISBN 9780101697927) which was published in December 2006. An accompanying document (Cm. 7061, ISBN 9780101706124) which considers key issues that have been raised in response to the Government's White Paper, is available separately.