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Single moms are feeling the pressure of the recession. Along with
layoffs, furloughs and pink slips, come late child support payments. In
many cases, deadbeat dads simply refuse to provide financial support
for their children, leaving mothers with no recourse other than to take
them to court or request public assistance. California, Georgia and
Pennsylvania are among several states that have enacted laws that allow
the state to recoup the cost of public assistance from a child’s
non-custodial parent.
Recently, 25-year-old Maria took John, her 2-year-old daughter’s
father, to court for child abandonment. According to her, the dad
refused to pay child support because “she didn’t know how to obey the
rules.” To complicate matters further, John also has a 2-year-old and
an older child with another woman, who is pregnant by John again. When
she gives birth in a couple of months, he will have a total of eight
children, with his oldest being only 12-years-old by yet another woman.
When Maria was on her way to court, John’s attorney asked her to show
up and withdraw the charge because the dad had agreed to pay support.
As she shared her story, it appeared that she was struggling with the
decision because of the ongoing animosity with John and the girlfriend.
Maria says that John has the means to take care of both families.
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made
an estimated $1 billion in Recovery Act funds available to improve
child support enforcement. “Every child deserves the support of both
parents,” said HHS Spokeswoman Jenny Backus. “The Recovery Act will
increase resources for child support enforcement and will help parents
make ends meet and children receive the money they are due.”
HHS Administration for Children and
Families (ACF) announced in March 2009 that a record $2.85 billion in
delinquent child support had been collected from federal income tax
refunds in 2008 under the Federal Offset Program, –yvette caslin
