Child Support Enforcement

Child Support Enforcement is a program that works with parents to provide emotional, financial, and medical support for their child or children. DCFS offers parent locator and paternity establishment services, as well as assistance to establish and enforce child support orders and collection and distribution of child support payments.

What is Child Support?

Federal law requires all states to have a child support enforcement program. In Louisiana, the program is administered by the Department of Children & Family Services, Child Support Enforcement Section. This program places the responsibility for the support of children on their parents in an attempt to reduce the children's dependence on public assistance. Please visit the family-centered child support page for more information.

The Child Support Enforcement staff is located in Louisiana Child Support Offices. These offices serve all 64 parishes in the state. The agency also has cooperative agreements with 40 District Attorneys in the state. The scope of services provided by District Attorneys varies, depending on the services that a particular District Attorney is contracted to provide.

Get Case Information:

You may find your Child Support case information through CAFÉ. You can reach out to your worker in CAFÉ by following these simple steps to send your caseworker a message from your child support account:

Sign in using your LA CAFÉ account.
Click on the Check My Cases link on the page labeled My Account.
Click on Child Support Enforcement Details located under General Information.
Click on the Child Support Enforcement Message Center link.
Click on Submit a Question and send your questions or information.

**You will need to create a new User ID and User Number for CAFÉ and 1-888-LAHELP-U. Click here for step-by-step instructions**

For case information, you may also call 1-888-524-3578. The interactive voice response (IVR) system provides payment receipt and disbursement information (on the last five payments), arrearages, current financial obligation balances as well as general child support information. IVR information is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Experienced customer service representatives trained to handle case-specific inquiries not addressed by the IVR can be accessed through the Toll-Free numbers.

Apply for Child Support Enforcement Services

Services Provided

On the Road Again (Limited -time opportunity for license reinstatement)
Parent Locator Service
Paternity Establishment
Establishing Orders (Determination Of Child Support and/or Medical Support)
Enforcing Orders
Collection and Distribution
Non-IV-D Cases

Who Can Get Help?

Any parent or person responsible for a child who needs our services.
Anyone who receives FITAP, KCSP, or is referred to DCFS by Medicaid automatically receives child support enforcement services.
Anyone who does not receive FITAP, KCSP, or Medicaid may apply for CSE services and pay an application fee of $25.

Helpful Videos about the Child Support program:

Child Support and You for the Custodial Party(Paternity has been established for the child(ren))
Child Support and You for the Custodial Party(Paternity has not been established for the child(ren))
Child Support and You for the Non-Custodial Party(Paternity has been established for the child(ren))
Child Support and You for the Non-Custodial Party(Paternity has not been established for the child(ren))
Videos from our Federal partner:
- What is Child Support?
- OCSE Serves the National Child Support Program