Stebbins and Stebbins (Child support)

The matter of *Stebbins and Stebbins (Child Support)* concerned an appeal to the Child Support Registrar regarding a departure determination. The primary dispute revolved around whether the costs associated with the special needs of the child, specifically orthodontic and medical expenses, were of such a magnitude that they significantly impacted the cost of maintaining the child, thereby justifying a departure from the standard child support assessment. The Registrar was tasked with reviewing the initial decision.

The central legal issue before the Registrar was to determine if the special circumstances of the child, namely the substantial orthodontic and medical costs arising from their special needs, constituted a ground for departure under the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth). This involved assessing whether these costs were significant enough to warrant an adjustment to the assessed child support payable by the liable parent, considering the income, property, and financial resources of that parent, including school fees.

The Registrar reasoned that the significant orthodontic and medical expenses directly attributable to the child's special needs did indeed represent a substantial increase in the cost of maintaining the child. Applying the principles of the Act, the Registrar found that it was just and reasonable and otherwise proper to depart from the standard assessment due to these exceptional circumstances. Consequently, the Registrar set aside the original decision and substituted it with a new determination that reflected the increased costs associated with the child's special needs.