Do I need to list my baby's father on CalWORKs application if we're not married?

You do need to provide information about the father on your CalWORKs application. California requires cooperation with child support as a condition of receiving benefits. When you apply, you'll be referred to the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) and will need to help establish paternity and pursue child support. HOWEVER - and this is important - there are exceptions called "good cause" exemptions. If you have concerns about your safety or the baby's safety, or if pursuing child support would be harmful in some way, you can request a good cause exemption from the child support cooperation requirement. You'll need to explain your situation to your eligibility worker and they'll provide a form to request the exemption.

When i applied last year they made me give the dad's info and i had to go down to the child support office after my calworks got approved. even tho i didnt want to deal with him either!!! its so annoying that they make us do this. but u might get more $ with the child support so maybe worth it idk

You definitely need to list the father. CalWORKs requires you to cooperate with child support enforcement as a condition of eligibility. However, you should know about the "good cause" exemption. This allows you to be excused from the child support cooperation requirement if: - Cooperation would increase risk of physical or emotional harm to you or your child - The child was conceived due to rape or incest - You're working with an agency for adoption - There are other serious reasons cooperation would be harmful Just being "unreliable" likely wouldn't qualify, but you should discuss your specific situation with your eligibility worker. They'll give you the CW 51 form to request the exemption if applicable. If you don't qualify for good cause, you'll be referred to child support services after your application is approved. Keep in mind that any child support collected can actually help you financially as you're allowed to keep some of it without reducing your grant amount.

I tried to hide my daughter's dad info when I applied and my application got DELAYED for months!!! They put my case on hold until I cooperated with child support. Don't make my mistake - just give them the info upfront or apply for the good cause exemption right away if you have a valid reason. The county doesn't play around with this requirement.

Something no one mentioned yet - if you're concerned about your address or other personal information being shared with the father, you can request confidentiality with the Local Child Support Agency. This will prevent your personal contact information from being included in court documents or shared with the father. Make sure to specifically request this when you're referred to LCSA. Also, I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) when you need to call your county office about sensitive issues like this. They connect you directly to CalWORKs workers without the hours-long hold times, so you can have private conversations about your situation and not worry about being overheard. Their demo video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - I used them when dealing with my child support situation and it was much better than calling directly.

To answer your follow-up question - they don't actually contact the father until after your CalWORKs is approved. Once approved, your case gets referred to the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA), who then opens a child support case. The LCSA will then try to locate the father, establish paternity if needed, and set up a child support order. This process can take several months, so you won't have to worry about him being contacted immediately when you apply.

Just to clarify about the good cause exemptions since there's some confusion - "unreliable" alone isn't enough, but if there's a history of erratic behavior, substance abuse issues, or anything that would make co-parenting difficult or potentially harmful, document this. CalWORKs does take legitimate concerns seriously. Remember that child support cooperation is about establishing the child's right to support, not forcing a relationship. The father won't automatically get visitation rights just because of child support - those are separate legal issues handled in family court.

actually theres 1 more option nobody mentioned... you can just apply for CalFresh (food stamps) instead of CalWORKs cash aid. CalFresh doesn't have the child support requirement. But obviously you get less help that way, just food benefits not cash.

Thank you everyone for the helpful information. I've decided to include the father's information on my application. I didn't realize how the system works and that I could request confidentiality. I'll definitely ask for that when I go to my interview appointment next week. I'm going to try that Claimyr service first to ask some questions about my specific situation before my appointment. Again, thanks for all the advice!

I just wanted to add something that might help - if you're worried about the father being unpredictable or causing problems, you can also request that all communication from the child support office goes through your caseworker instead of directly to you. This gives you an extra layer of protection and helps keep things organized. Also, when you do your CalWORKs interview, be completely honest about your concerns with your eligibility worker. They've seen it all and can guide you on whether your situation might qualify for good cause. Even if it doesn't initially seem like it would qualify, sometimes there are details that make a difference. One more thing - if you end up having to go through with child support and the father does start paying, that money belongs to your child regardless of your relationship with him. Try to think of it that way if it helps. You're advocating for your baby's financial security, not necessarily opening the door to a relationship you don't want.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year. I was terrified about listing my son's father because he had addiction issues and I was worried about what would happen if they contacted him. I ended up providing his information but immediately requested a good cause exemption. My eligibility worker was really understanding and gave me the CW 51 form to fill out. I documented his substance abuse history, erratic behavior, and concerns about him being around our child. The exemption was approved within a few weeks. The best part is that I still get my full CalWORKs benefits without having to deal with child support enforcement. My case has been much smoother since then. Don't let fear stop you from applying - there really are protections in place for situations like yours. Be honest about your concerns and advocate for yourself and your baby. Also, definitely use that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you need to call with questions. I wish I had known about it when I was going through this process!