Best Child Support in Pennsylvania — 6 resources

About Child Support for Women

Child support is administered state-by-state under the federal Title IV-D program, with every state required to operate a Child Support Enforcement (CSE) agency. For custodial mothers, these agencies establish paternity, locate non-custodial parents, calculate orders under state guidelines, and enforce payments through wage garnishment, tax refund intercept, license suspension, and contempt actions. Services are free of charge. Mothers can also pursue retroactive support and modifications when income changes. The federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) oversees the program. This directory includes each state's CSE agency, online support calculators, local enforcement offices, and modification resources.

Child Support in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's Courts of Common Pleas handle family matters in each of its 60 judicial districts. The Pennsylvania Child Support Program operates through county domestic relations sections. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and Reading are the major metros. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, Neighborhood Legal Services, MidPenn Legal Services, and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) serve women.

6 Resources

1. Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Support Enforcement — Free

State agency for child support establishment and enforcement for mothers and custodial parents in Harrisburg. Services include establishing paternity, opening cases, modifying orders, and enforcing unpaid support. Bring birth certificates, income documents, and paternity information when applying. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

(800) 932-0211 · PO Box 8018, Harrisburg, PA 17105 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Find Your State Child Support Agency — Free

Federal directory providing direct contact links to every state and tribal child support enforcement office for opening, modifying, or enforcing orders at acf.hhs.gov.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

4. Single Mother Guide — Child Support — Free

Comprehensive plain-language online resource for single mothers covering child support, benefits, budgeting, and family law. Free at singlemotherguide.com with no registration required.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. National Family Support Network — Free

NFSN strengthens families through quality support services and a directory of family resource centers in all 50 states at nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many child support resources are in Pennsylvania?
Women's Corner tracks 6 child support resources for women in Pennsylvania.
Are child support resources in Pennsylvania free?
6 of the 6 listed child support resources in Pennsylvania are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Pennsylvania have child support resources?
Listings span cities including Harrisburg.
What are some examples of child support resources in Pennsylvania?
Featured entries include Pennsylvania Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, National Child Support Enforcement Association, Find Your State Child Support Agency, Single Mother Guide — Child Support, Healthy Children — Child Support Basics.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
1 of 6 Pennsylvania child support listings include phone numbers.
How do I open a child support case?
Apply free through your state's Child Support Services agency — online, by mail, or in person at the local office. The agency establishes paternity if needed, locates the other parent, calculates the order, and enforces collection through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and license suspension. You don't need the father's cooperation to open a case.
What if the father isn't paying?
Report non-payment to your state Child Support Services agency — they have enforcement tools you can't access alone, including wage garnishment, federal/state tax refund intercepts, passport denial, driver's license suspension, and contempt prosecution. Keep your contact info current with the agency so payments route to you correctly.
Can I get child support if we were never married?
Yes. You first establish paternity — voluntarily through an Acknowledgment of Paternity form, or through a court-ordered DNA test if the father disputes it. Once paternity is legal, the court issues a support order based on his income. The state agency handles the whole process at no cost.
What if my support order is too low?
File a Motion to Modify with the court if there's been a substantial change — his income went up, your costs went up, custody time changed, or it's been 3+ years since the last review. Your state Child Support agency will do a free review every 3 years on request. Modifications aren't retroactive, so file as soon as circumstances change.