Good Cause Exemption Child Support Vermont: How Kinship Caregivers Request a Safety Waiver

Why Child Support Cooperation Is Required

When you apply for Reach Up Child Only in Vermont, the child's right to child support is automatically assigned to the state. The Office of Child Support will attempt to locate the child's legal parents, establish paternity if needed, and enforce a support order.

For many kinship caregivers, this is fine. Collected support helps the household, and the state passes the first $100 per month directly to you on top of the Reach Up grant.

But for some families, pursuing child support puts people at risk.

When Good Cause Applies

Vermont law recognizes that enforcing child support against a parent can endanger the caregiver or child in specific circumstances. You can request a Good Cause Waiver if cooperation with the Office of Child Support would expose you or the child to:

• Domestic violence or intimate partner abuse
• Physical threats or stalking
• Emotional harm to a child who was removed from a dangerous situation
• Retaliation from a parent with a history of violence

This isn't about convenience — it's a safety mechanism for families where contact with the parent could cause real harm.

How to Request the Waiver

The request happens directly on Form 202CARE, the Caretaker Application for Child-Only Reach Up. Item 4 on the form asks about safety concerns related to child support cooperation.

When you check that box and describe the situation, ESD pauses child support enforcement while it reviews your claim. You don't need to resolve this before your cash grant begins — the waiver request and the grant application move on separate tracks.

What Evidence Supports Your Request

ESD reviews supporting documentation, which can include:

• Police reports documenting past violence or threats
• Protective orders (active or expired) involving the parent
• Statements from a domestic violence agency confirming your situation
• A personal affidavit in your own words describing the risk

You don't need all of these. A single credible piece of evidence that explains why cooperation is dangerous is often sufficient. If you're unsure what to provide, Vermont Legal Aid (vtlawhelp.org) or a domestic violence advocate can help you prepare your statement.

What Happens While ESD Reviews

Your Reach Up Child Only application continues to process normally. The good cause review runs separately, and a pending review does not delay your grant. If ESD approves the waiver, child support enforcement remains paused for as long as the safety concern exists.

If ESD denies the waiver, you have the right to appeal to the Human Services Board. Vermont Legal Aid can represent you in that hearing if you meet their income guidelines.

This Waiver Doesn't Affect the Grant Amount

Whether you have a waiver or not, the Reach Up Child Only grant amount stays the same. The waiver only controls whether the Office of Child Support actively pursues the parent. If no support is collected, you simply receive the standard grant without the $100 pass-through.

Our Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Vermont guide includes a full walkthrough of the child support cooperation rules, the good cause waiver documentation checklist, and the fair hearing process if a waiver is denied.

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