Directing child support to children from going to a drug involved custodial parent

[brandilu]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

 

[brandilu]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

I wrote out an entire message for help and when I previewed the post it was there and when I submitted it is was gone...


My question is if anyone knows if there is anyway that children (in this case they are 17 and 16 years old) who are no longer living with their custodial parent due to drug involvement, can receive the child support from their non custodial parent although they are not living with the custodial parent? How can we get the money to stop going to the custodial parent? Or can this only be done if the children are signed over to someone else by POA/legal guardianship?

I am 24 years old and inquiring about this on my two younger siblings behalf. My mother has been struggling with a drug addiction for nearly 10 years. It has been a very difficult and exhausting journey for all of us over the years... My siblings are finally at an age where they are starting to realize that the child support their father (who lives in another state) is paying toward our mother is not actually benefiting them in anyway. They have not been living with my mother consistently for about 2 years. They have been living with several different friends and family members over this time. My mother has still continued to receive the child support from their father however, none of the money has been used to provide shelter, food, clothing or anything for them. My sister and brother do not want to live with their father as this is also a bad environment for them to be in. I am trying to investigate how we can get this money to start going to them to help with their school expenses and to allow them to live a "normal" life until they turn 18 years old. Is the only way to do this to have their father sign POA or legal guardianship over to someone like me so I can ensure they get the money? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ecmst12]

Child support is not owed to the child. It is intended to reimburse the custodian for the expenses incurred in raising the child. Whoever is their legal guardian should be getting the support. And it is not your, or their, business anyway. If the family member that is caring for them is concerned about support expenses, they can file something about it in court.

 

[Proserpina]

Why hasn't Dad sought custody?