Parents Will Pay for Kids, Not Feds

categories: Children, Culture of Poverty, Federal, Government, Social Programs, States, Women

Published October 13, 2009 @ 09:00AM PT

A pilot project in Wisconsin revealed that when parents owing child support know it is going to their children - and not government agencies, as has been the case recently - they are more likely to pay, and pay on time. Now, more states are putting child support payments directly in the hands of parents on public assistance, rather than diverting it to cover their own administrative costs.

Despite the fact that there's an obvious cyclical benefit here - if you give parents the money directly, they have less need to rely on the state for assistance - many governments are still reluctant to make the change, citing their own budget woes. Sigh. I've always thought it particularly punitive and hypocritical that we chastise mothers and fathers for seeking public assistance, then siphoned off a critical chunk of money owed to them that could help with their economic hardship. Good for the few states who are catching on.

And a hollow laugh at the reality that when you convince people that government is wasteful, they might take issue with sending their money right along.

Here's hoping more states come around to passing on these millions and millions of overdue dollars to parents and children in need.

(Photo "A Day at the Races" by bufferchuck)

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Comments (1)

Gosh, the concept of really channeling money to the child in child support. What a concept!

Our poverty policies--those that perpetuate as well as cause it--need a huge "do-over" and the new policy makers need to be parents, not male bureaucrats.

Posted by HEAR US on 10/14/2009 @ 11:45AM PT
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Author

Leigh is a PhD candidate in urban planning at MIT, and a consultant on U.S. Gulf Coast recovery. She sits on the Board of the Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation in Boston, and has worked with non-profits, foundations and local governments on policies and programs aimed at reducing urban poverty and inequality.