Centering Child Well-Being in Child Support Policy
Employment-oriented programs offered as an alternative to traditional child support enforcement have the potential to improve outcomes for noncustodial fathers with a limited ability to pay child support. Noncustodial fathers who are struggling to stay on their feet need more support, not only because of the child support that they pay, but also because of …
Child support is an important source of income for children, but many noncustodial fathers have a limited ability to pay. Unrealistically high child support orders based on faulty assumptions about earning capacity do not produce more income for children; they produce uncollectible debt. Orders set beyond the ability of noncustodial fathers to pay them are …
Setting Realistic and Accurate Child Support Orders Read More »
The evidence is clear; fathers — regardless of residential or relationship status — play a critical role in children’s health and influence maternal well-being. Fathers’ contributions to children’s development have been associated with improved cognitive development, social responsiveness, and independence across the lifespan. A growing body of research suggests that mothers whose partners are engaged …
Bringing Fathers Into Focus for Child and Family Well-Being Read More »
The brief provides an overview of lessons learned and new innovations to inform and support a comprehensive early childhood system and advance federal efforts to align early childhood and health systems in order to strengthen family outcomes across agencies. It was informed by a series of convenings that gathered early childhood policy, practice, and funding …
Aligning Systems: Aspen Early Childhood Development and Health Forums, 2017‚Äì2020 Read More »
Reducing state-owed debt can increase employment and child support payments, reduce time spent on futile collection efforts, and increase federal performance incentive payments. Almost all states have policies that allow noncustodial fathers to seek a reduction of state-owed debt, either on a case- by-case basis or as part of a debt reduction program. Debt reduction …
Putting child support dollars in families’ hands results in more income for families and helps them cover essentials like children’s food, clothes, and school supplies. States can direct that money to families at home, rather than to the federal government. Family pass-through and distribution policies incentivize noncustodial fathers to pay through the formal child support …
Ensuring Families Receive All Child Support Payments Read More »