SIR: I have been running the Oldham branch of the Network Against the Child Support Agency for six months

Over the last couple of months, it has become apparent from talking to mothers, that the C.S.A. is letting them down. The Parents With Care - a C.S.A. term not mine - are generally of the opinion that, because they are not receiving much, if any, money from the C.S.A. that their ex-partners are not paying much in the way of maintenance,

However, this is not usually the case. The C.S.A. take vast amounts of money off the 'absent parent', again a C.S.A. term not mine, and hand over only a small percentage to the 'parent with care'. Most of the money going to the Treasury to pay for the benefits the P.W.C. is claiming - benefits that they have already paid for in their income tax and N.I. contributions.

No one has to deal with the C.S.A, they can withdraw their authority for the C.S.A. to act on their behalf.

We had at the last meeting, a lady, (a parent with care) who is having problems getting the C.S.A's help, due to the fact that she is not on benefits.

This lady will be using the Internet to research the problems with the C.S.A. that parents with care are having, and will address the next meeting on their behalf, hopefully with some solutions.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 28, at 8pm, at the Blue Club, Victoria Street, Chadderton, which is near the town hall.

(Name and address supplied)?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.