what is child maintenance used for

Child maintenance is financial support paid from one parent to another to assist with a childs everyday living costs. It is paid by the parent who doesn’t usually live with the child to the person who has most day-to-day care of the child. Child maintenance is for children who are under 16 or under 20 and still in full-time education not higher than A-Level. It is meant to help with the “normal” expenses associated with raising a child, including food, shelter, transportation, clothing, and certain educational costs. Child maintenance can help a child’s well-being and the quality of family relationships. Both parents are legally responsible for the financial costs of bringing up their children, even parents who don't live with their children. Separated parents can arrange child maintenance privately through a family-based arrangement, through a Consent Order from a court, or through the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) .