Child support are court-ordered payments typically issued to noncustodial parents to support a child or children as long as he, she, or they are minors (younger than 18). These payments that are intended to provide stability for a child are always a huge debate for those who find themselves battling to co-parent. Issues surrounding child support should be accredited to its long history in the legal system or the morale individuals encompass in regards to the system.
The Legal System and Child Support
Quite frankly, the system is outdated. Aggressive approaches towards child support began in the 19th century for fathers who left a mother and child(ren) as a burden in their community after legal separations, such as divorces. It was intended to be a better way to reduce the use of governmental welfare services paid for by taxpayers, which meant further repercussions for those who failed to follow their court orders.
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Child support's main initiative is maintaining enforcement versus parental involvement in a child's life with shared parenting regulations after separations.The Federal Parent Locator Service uses a national database to track down noncustodial parents to enforce payments, and the amount of money collected per year for child support totals to over $32 billion a year.
Social Relations and Child Support
Child support is based on traditional roles of mothers and fathers (the mother as a housewife and the father as a breadwinner), and it's quite obvious that those roles have changed tremendously. Fathers are always expected to be the reason for child support, since they may have "walked out" on the mother and child, and then, there's the "dead-beat" dad myth that persists highly in the stereotype for men of color. The fact of the matter is mothers can also be placed on child support, and a parent may be placed on child support for the simple fact that he/she did not want to pursue a relationship with the other parent.
Child Support is particularly aimed to be tough on low-income fathers who have the desire to pay child support for his kid(s), but he may not be able to do so due to his inability to find a job, possible low literacy, poor job history, and etc. This results in most of the back-pay with child support that exists today. Courts usually consider child support payments over a parent's actual involvement in a child's life, which leads to issues of parental alienation. Research has shown that men with outstanding child-support debts tend to be less involved in their children’s lives. Some even find themselves incarcerated over unpaid payments. And since many states treat incarceration as voluntary unemployment, child-support debts continue accumulating while men are in prison. Don't you see why this can be a hard cycle to break?
Possible Solutions for Child Support Issues
Courts should consider the mental, emotional, and physical relationships a parent may have with the children forced to be torn between in the situation. Parental involvement is just as important as economic influence on a child's life. Children remember what you do with them or for them versus how you buy it and what you buy. Low income fathers should be considered more often in regards to the child support policy. Their ability to get a job may not be solely up to them depending on their location. Fathers could be connected with training and employment opportunities. This will, not only, benefit the child, but also, the father. They have to find a way to compromise with a parent's living status.
There's a difference between inability and capability. You can be unable to provide proper child support due to finances. You can be capable to pay child support and choosing not to do so. Which term fits you?
