Child Support Policy
Abstract
Children who grow up in incomplete family set-up portray different characteristics from those who grow up in complete families with both parents involved in their development. The same impact takes effect on the relationships between spouses. This effect outlines the importance of the father figure in the growth of children and the family. Several public policies seek to increase the number of children who grow up with the involvement of both parents. Some of the policies are those that seek to influence the economic and educational status of fathers. Parents who have higher economic and educational status have higher chances of raising more stable children and families together, unlike those with low statuses. Policies base on two premises, fatherhood programs and involvement in family relationships. Fatherhood programs aim at the financial obligations of the father while family relationships focus on improving parental skills in fathers.
Introduction
The law needs to enable fathers and mothers to take care of their families. This consideration includes proper earnings to ensure their safety and sustainability (Fatherhood Institute, 2017). Most of the policies give weight on noncustodial fathers and their financial obligations. The significance of fatherhood in households creates the need for federal and state governments to formulate policies that prompt male parents to take responsibility for their families. Federal governments engage in such policies to reduce welfare expenses (Smith, 1998).
Previous legislations purely focused on the economic significance of the father. However, subsequent research shows a need for the father figure beyond just monetary child support. Authorities have enforced various ways in the collection of child support money. For instance, the state of Virginia implemented methods such as issuing arrests, suspending licenses and posting letters to fathers who fail to pay child support (Smith, 1998). These policies and measures intended to increase paternal responsibilities and involvement of the father with the family. However, it is not clear how effective are child support policies to enhance father involvement or whether voluntary involvement yields positive relationships with the family.
The policies have instead created unintended implications such as frustrating fathers, discouraging family creations and involvement of the father (Cabrera & Peters, 2000). Some policies, which highly appraises the position of the mother, erode the significance of the father. Thus making the men undesirable for marriage and stripping off their paternal value. Custody laws, which entitle the mother to be the principal custodian of the child, limits fathers from engaging with their children. Sole custody discourages nonresident fathers from supporting the children due to their limited control of resources in the household of the resident parent (Cabrera & Peters, 2000).
Sometimes the law ties custody to payment of child support. This strategy encourages extended involvement with the children. Payment of child support may also mean a symbol of the success of the father as a provider. Some mothers may demand child support payment before allowing the fathers to see their children. The tactic may enhance the relationship between the father and the children.
The Welfare Reform also affects the family by limiting the number of years of assistance to five and obliging single mothers to seek employment in the first two years of assistance. This act motivates work and subsequently, marriage since beyond the five years, such mothers will not be eligible to state funding. They may then resort to marriage to help sustain the children, thus family formation. The marriage ensures children stay in families. The act discourages birth of children out of wedlock (Cabrera & Peters, 2000). The provision for the Welfare Reforms for seeking employment for single mothers may consequently lead to the unemployment of men. The impact of this is that the men will remain undesirable for marriage and even for the father figure.
The government should, however, help to improve the state of fathers as well to enhance their capacity and status. This move may make them fit for marriage as well as exemplified as role models to the families. Policymakers should look into methods promoting voluntary participation of the nonresidential father in child-upbringing by encouraging joint custody. Arguably, the government should raise bars on divorce resulting from nonviolence causes to keep more families together.