Child Support

Service

Service is available from the Erie County Office of Child Support Enforcement through the following remote contact channels:

• Call 888-208-4485
• Complete Customer Service Inquiry Form. Provide your daytime phone number, email address and mailing address and mail or email it to the addresses below.
  • Email us at cseweberie@dfa.state.ny.us
  • USPO address:  95 Franklin St.  Room 230, Buffalo, NY 14202
• All challenge forms are available online
• Applications for services can be found online

General Information

The Office of Child Support was created in 1975 as part of Federal Legislation amending the Social Security Act. The Erie County Office of Child Support Enforcement [OCSE] is part of a Federal, State and Local effort to establish and collect child support from legally responsible individuals.

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Purpose

The purposes of the Office of Child Support Enforcement are:

• Locate absent parents and establish paternity of children born out of wedlock.
• Establish, enforce and collect child support from legally responsible individuals.
• Reduce the cost of public assistance for taxpayers.

Goal

By fulfilling its mandates, OCSE also helps to strengthen families and reduce welfare spending by placing the responsibility for supporting children on those parents with the financial resources to provide such support. For families receiving Temporary Assistance, the establishment and enforcement of support obligations provide a step toward self-sufficiency. If the child support collected is high enough, the family is able to leave the public assistance rolls. Furthermore, by providing child support enforcement services to families not in receipt of public assistance; further dependence on public assistance is avoided.