Title

Experiences With a Child Support Agency

Publication Date

6-1-2001

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Although there has been steady improvement in the amount of child support collected, it is estimated that about 70% of poor children eligible for child support do not receive it. There has been little formal study of mothers' interactions with child support offices and how these experiences may influence decisions about child support. This article presents a descriptive analysis of mothers' attitudes and experiences with a child support agency, giving voice to clients' perspectives about working with this system. The findings indicate that mothers find the public child support system to be inefficient and ineffective in helping them to obtain child support, even after they have a child support award. Their stories help us understand why many custodial parents become frustrated and angry at the system that has been put in place to help them, but often sets up barriers to their efforts to obtain child support. Only through more effective service delivery can parents become successful at receiving the child support needed to reduce their poverty level and improve the well being of their children.

Publication Title

Journal of Poverty

Volume

5

Issue

4

First Page

93

Last Page

107

DOI

10.1300/J134v05n04_05

Publisher Policy

pre-print, post-print

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