Legal advice on paternity and maintenance issues
<p><strong>Legal advice</strong>: Maintenance claims of underage children, young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 and single parents with small children regarding their entitlement to childcare maintenance.</p>
<ul>
 <li>Mothers and fathers who are <strong>single parents</strong> and / or <strong>single carers</strong> are entitled to advice and support in asserting maintenance claims for their underage child (§ 18 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB VIII).</li>
 <li>Mothers and fathers who <strong>are not married to each other</strong> are entitled to counselling and support in asserting their own maintenance claims in accordance with § 1615 l BGB (childcare maintenance) (§ 18 Para. 1 No. 2 SGB VIII).</li>
 <li>Mothers who are not married to the child's father are entitled to counselling and support after the birth of the child, in particular in establishing paternity and asserting the child's maintenance claims (§ 52 a SGB VIII).</li>
 <li>Young adults are entitled to counselling and support in asserting maintenance and maintenance claims against their parents until their 21st birthday (§ 18 Para. 4 SGB VIII).</li>
</ul>
Adult Advice Asserting Certificate of freedom of movement Child support Childcare maintenance Claim Custody Establishment Establishment of paternity Legal Maintenance Maintenance for adults Notarisation Parent Parental Paternity Payment Payments Single parent Sole custody Support accordance adults entitled entitlement issues married movement parental custody parents underage

# Legal advice on paternity and maintenance issues

## Summary

We advise on maintenance claims for underage children and young adults up to their 21st birthday as well as on carer's maintenance.
## Description

**Legal advice**: Maintenance claims of underage children, young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 and single parents with small children regarding their entitlement to childcare maintenance.

* Mothers and fathers who are **single parents** and / or **single carers** are entitled to advice and support in asserting maintenance claims for their underage child (§ 18 Para. 1 No. 1 SGB VIII).
* Mothers and fathers who **are not married to each other** are entitled to counselling and support in asserting their own maintenance claims in accordance with § 1615 l BGB (childcare maintenance) (§ 18 Para. 1 No. 2 SGB VIII).
* Mothers who are not married to the child's father are entitled to counselling and support after the birth of the child, in particular in establishing paternity and asserting the child's maintenance claims (§ 52 a SGB VIII).
* Young adults are entitled to counselling and support in asserting maintenance and maintenance claims against their parents until their 21st birthday (§ 18 Para. 4 SGB VIII).

## Responsible Department

SOZ
## Required Documents

Please enquire in advance by telephone in individual cases.

## Fee Range

There are no fees.

## Processing Time

Due to a high workload and staff shortages, a longer processing time must be expected.  

If you already have a guardianship, please refrain from submitting status enquiries in the meantime, as this will further delay processing.

## Legal Basis

§§ 18 and 52 a SGB VIII  

§ 1615l BGB

## Further Links

* [Information from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth](https://www.bmfsfj.de/)
* [Information from the Federal Ministry of Justice](https://www.bmj.de/)

## Keywords

* Adult
* Advice
* Asserting
* Certificate of freedom of movement
* Child support
* Childcare maintenance
* Claim
* Custody
* Establishment
* Establishment of paternity
* Legal
* Maintenance
* Maintenance for adults
* Notarisation
* Parent
* Parental
* Paternity
* Payment
* Payments
* Single parent
* Sole custody
* Support
* accordance
* adults
* entitled
* entitlement
* issues
* married
* movement
* parental custody
* parents
* underage
