What is Child Maintenance?
Child Maintenance is financial support or money advanced to help in meeting a child’s day to day costs and needs which include food, shelter, clothing, schooling, health care among other needs.
Who is liable to pay child maintenance?
The law provides that both parents are legally obliged to maintain the child according to their means. Each parent should contribute towards the child’s welfare.
Who can claim child maintenance?
Maintenance is claimed by the parent having the care and custody of the child so that the other parent also contributes towards the upkeep of such child. A person other than the parent of the child, having the care and custody of the child can also claim child maintenance. Even where the parents of the child are not married, they are still liable at law to maintain the child each one according to his/her means.
Till when can child maintenance be claimed?
A maintenance claim lapses when a child turns 18 years of age or when a child becomes self-sustaining. So it therefore follows that a maintenance claim can be extended beyond 18 years in instances when the child is still dependent on its parents ie still attending school or if the child has a disability.
Once a child attains 18 years of age and is still dependant, he/she can claim maintenance in his/her capacity.
SONIA. R. FASHI
