NCJ Number
181031
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 50 Issue: 2 Special Issue Dated: Spring 1999 Pages: 27-38
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Recognizing that regular and adequate child support payments are critically important to the health and well-being of children since most single-parent families headed by women live near established poverty levels, some courts and child support agencies are examining current practices and are beginning to develop protocols under which more battered women can pursue child support safely.
Abstract
Particular attention is being paid to ensuring that domestic violence victims have access to information about the benefits and risks of child support enforcement and how the system works. Courts, child support agencies, and domestic violence advocates are also exploring ways to create safeguards for battered women who want to pursue child support and ways to create a coordinated response to domestic violence and child support. Child support enforcement is discussed in the context of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and welfare reform. Recommendations for courts and child support offices are offered that focus on informing battered women about the child support system, adopting child support safeguards, and identifying judicial practices that support safe child support enforcement. 45 endnotes