I could say im sorry, but rom the sounds of it, congratulations and well done is probably more suited, by the sounds of it you are doing what is best for you and your DD and you deserve to feel very strong and proud for doing so. I am happy to here that a weigt has been lifted off your shoulders xxx

Call Centrelink now and tell them you have seperated from DD's father and you want to claim parenting payment single. They will do a telephone interview with you for about 20 mins, just getting your basic details plus the address and ohone number of a friend who knows that you are seperated, so they can verify it. Once the telephone interview is up, they will send you out a few forms to fill out. You fill in the forms and take them to your nearest Centrelink office along with a current bank statement and a copy of your lease (for Rent Assistance)

Then you call Child Support and start an account with them, they will need all your details and date of seperation. They will want to know your percentage of care for DD, tell them how many nights a week you will have her and how many (if any) her dad will have her. They will then call your X and verify all the details with him. Then they will send you and your X a letter telling you how much child support should be paid. You decide whether you will make a private arrangement between you and X to collect child support, or you can get them to collect the child suppot and forward it to you.

I am going through all this stuf atm, so am just giving you an idea of what you will be asked and have to think about with regards to centrelink and child support , ope i have been helpful.

Also i agree with Lulu, dont pussy foot around your X at all to try and keep the peace, it always ends up getting nasty eventually so you might as well stand up for yourself from the start. I pussy footed around DH for so long and gave gave gave, all for nothing, he still turned into a pr!ck, in hindsight I should have just looked out for myself and not given two hoots about him.

GL hun, remember to always come and vent in here, the girls in here are magic at supporting your decisions and helping you to feel back in control of your life and great aout being a single mummy x