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Taking Care of Mine: Can Child Support Become a Family‐Building Institution?
Author(s) -
Edin Kathryn,
Nelson Timothy J.,
Butler Rachel,
Francis Robert
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of family theory and review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.454
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1756-2589
pISSN - 1756-2570
DOI - 10.1111/jftr.12324
Subject(s) - child support , coparenting , enforcement , autonomy , institution , government (linguistics) , narrative , legitimacy , punitive damages , pace , welfare , political science , psychology , social psychology , sociology , developmental psychology , law , geography , politics , linguistics , philosophy , geodesy
U.S. children are more likely to live apart from a biological parent than at any time in history. Although the Child Support Enforcement system has tremendous reach, its policies have not kept pace with significant economic, demographic, and cultural changes. Narrative analysis of in‐depth interviews with 429 low‐income noncustodial fathers suggests that the system faces a crisis of legitimacy. Visualization of language used to describe all forms child support show that the formal system is considered punitive and to lead to a loss of power and autonomy. Further, it is not associated with coparenting or the father–child bond—themes closely associated with informal and in‐kind support. Rather than stoking men's identities as providers, the system becomes “just another bill to pay.” Orders must be sustainable, all fathers should have coparenting agreements, and alternative forms of support should count toward fathers' obligations. Recovery of government welfare costs should be eliminated.