Child Support
Visit Child Support Services to:
- Access your case information.
- Start, change, or end child support orders.
- Locate absent parents responsible for support.
- Get help with enforcement of health insurance orders.
Paternity
Cuyahoga County can help you establish paternity through one of two ways:
- A legal document signed by both parents
- DNA testing
Learn more about the process and what documents you need to prepare.
Physical possession of a child is not considered legal custody. To establish legal custody, you must file an application with the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.
- What you will need to apply for legal custody
- Custody application and instructions for filing
Kinship Caregivers
Grandparents, aunts and uncles, other relatives, or family friends caring for children are called Kinship Caregivers.
Kinship caregivers seeking legal custody must file an application with the courts, or work with the child’s caseworker if the Division of Children and Family Services is involved.
Children in County Custody
If your child is taken into custody by Cuyahoga County, your caseworker will explain what steps you need to take to regain custody. See the Parent’s Guide to Working with the Division of Children and Family Services for more information of what to expect.
Visitation
Learn how to establish Parenting Time Opportunities, or visitation agreements between unmarried parents setting up a new child support order with no prior report of safety concerns or family violence.
The Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center can work with you to set up supervised visits with non-custodial parents who are domestic violence offenders or have mental health issues.
If your child is in Cuyahoga County custody, you may be allowed visitation with your child, if it is in your child’s best interest. Contact your individual case worker for more information.
Related Services
Apply for Child Support
Pay For Child Support
Explore all the ways to make a payment.
The program page will provide the public, specifically those engaged with the Office of Child Support, with the purpose for using and process for downloading the ODJFS child support mobile application.
Information about Cuyahoga County's Warrant Recall Program.
Establish Paternity
Paternity and Support Establishment
Establishment of Support Overview, types of paternity establishment, how to apply, where to apply, items to bring. Appointment letter information, reporting change in address or employment.
Establish Custody
Information about "legal custody changes" for child support orders.
Custody and Parenting Time Program
This Cuyahoga County Office of Child Support (OCSS)/Justice Services Collaboration strengthens the link between paternity establishment, custody, and visitation for fathers.
Fatherhood Initiatives
The Children’s Museum of Cleveland’s Dads Count Program provides Cuyahoga County fathers and father figures a venue to interact with their children in activities based around the topics in which fathers are especially effective role models.
The Centers program focuses on enhancing parenting skills of fathers.
University Settlement Fatherhood Initiative Program
The Fatherhood program engages fathers in school-based programming at three K-8 CMSD schools: Warners Girls Leadership Academy, Mound Stem Elementary, and Albert Bushnell Hart School. The program engages fathers by offering them ways to become better fathers to their children and better role models.
Murtis Taylor Fatherhood Program
The Murtis Taylor Fatherhood Program is designed to help dads though challenges in becoming stronger fathers.
Parenting Time Opportunities for Children
Information about Parenting Time Opportunities for Children (PTOC).
The United Way provides the 211 Fatherhood line in Cuyahoga County that links men to the services and programs they need to become better fathers or reconnect with their families.
The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services actively works to ensure dads are involved in any matters relating to their children.
This is a Workforce Development/Training program at Career Development and Placement Strategies aimed at non-custodial fathers.
Boot Camp for New Dads Program
Program funded by the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative focused on parenting skills.
“Safe & Sound” Supervised Visitation Program
The Supervised Visitation Program provides services for families currently mandated to participate in a supervised visitation program through the Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center.