Division of Family and Economic Security, Bureau of Working Families

Wisconsin Works (W-2) Manual


2.5.1 Cooperation with Child Support

Both Custodial Parents (CP)With respect to a dependent child, a parent (see definition of parent) who resides with that child and, if there has been a determination of legal custody with respect to the dependent child, has legal custody of that child and noncustodial parents are required to cooperate in good faith with the efforts directed at establishing child support and paternity for any minor child of that parent.

Each Custodial Parent (CP) in the W-2 GroupAn adult custodial parent, all dependent children with respect to whom the individual is a legal custodial parent and all minor children with respect to whom the adult individual’s dependent child is a custodial parent. W-2 Group includes any non-marital co-parent or any spouse of the individual who resides in the same household as the individual and any minor children with respect to whom the spouse or non-marital co-parent is a custodial parent. W-2 Group does not include any person who is receiving cash benefits under a county relief block grant program. This is also referred to as the W-2 Assistance Group (W-2 AG) must cooperate in good faith with efforts to:

  1. Identify and locate an absent parent;
  2. Establish paternity of any child of the custodial parent; and
  3. Obtain support payments or any other payments or property to which that parent and any minor child of that parent may have rights to.

Each noncustodial parent in the W-2W-2Wisconsin Works Group must cooperate in good faith with efforts to:

  1. Establish paternity of an alleged child of the noncustodial parent; and
  2. Obtain support payments or any other payments or property the noncustodial parent may be responsible for.

For more information on child support cooperation, see 15.3.1.