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Child custody and support in Connecticut

For divorcing parents in Connecticut: the legal term for custody, the parenting class, the official support calculator and the child support agency.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026

Quick answer

In Connecticut, custody is called “custody and visitation (parenting plan)”. Parenting class: Parents of minor children are ordered to complete the Judicial Branch's Parenting Education Program unless the court excuses it (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-69b). Connecticut publishes an official child support calculator or guidelines.

Custody term
Custody and visitation (parenting plan)
Parenting class
Required (with conditions)
Child support calculator
Official child support calculator or guidelines
Child support agency
Connecticut Department of Social Services, Office of Child Support Services

Custody terms in Connecticut

Custody and visitation (parenting plan)

Parenting class in Connecticut

  • Parents of minor children are ordered to complete the Judicial Branch's Parenting Education Program unless the court excuses it (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-69b).
  • Brochure: jud.ct.gov (PDF)

Child support in Connecticut

Child support follows Connecticut's guidelines. Estimate it with the official calculator, and contact the state's child support agency for help setting up or collecting it.

Good to know

Connecticut's nonadversarial divorce lets couples married 9 years or less with no children and under $80,000 in property divorce by joint petition with no hearing (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-44a, 46b-44c).

Children in a Connecticut divorce: what the process includes

  1. Custody

    The court's orders use Connecticut's term for custody: custody and visitation (parenting plan).

  2. Parenting class

    Take the parenting class described above if Connecticut requires it in your case.

  3. Child support

    Estimate it first: the official calculator

  4. The child support agency

    For help setting up or collecting support, contact the state's child support agency.

Questions about custody and child support in Connecticut

What is child custody called in Connecticut?

Connecticut uses the term “custody and visitation (parenting plan)”.

Do parents have to take a class in a Connecticut divorce?

Yes. Parents of minor children are ordered to complete the Judicial Branch's Parenting Education Program unless the court excuses it (Conn. Gen. Stat. 46b-69b). Brochure: jud.ct.gov (PDF)

Is there an official child support calculator for Connecticut?

Yes. Connecticut's official calculator or guidelines: the official calculator

Which agency handles child support in Connecticut?

Connecticut Department of Social Services, Office of Child Support Services.

More about divorce in Connecticut

Custody and support in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.