The Custodial Parent's Friend

Mothers Against Fathers In Arrears

For the past two decades, custodial parents have been able to rely upon the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement and the National Child Support Enforcement Association to protect their interests. Today, that is no longer the case.

Today, the emphasis is shifting and the goal of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement and the National Child Support Enforcement Association is to turn the taxpayer funded child support enforcement program into a "father friendly agency." While the public agency has long been accused of being "father friendly" it is going to become involved in issues that it believes are in the "best interests of the children". We recommend that you read the two following articles that appeared in The Child Support Quarterly - a publication of the National Child Support Enforcement Association.

• Deadbeats vs Turnips
  
• New Criminal Penalties
  
• In a hurry? Our Synopsis of both articles.

Why the change from an "enforcement agency" to an agency that is deciding what is in the best interests of your children without consulting you?

In three simple words: Non-custodial parents.

Today there are over 200 Father's Rights Groups that are bombarding legislators and public agencies with e-mail, letters, and telephone calls complaining about current child support laws and enforcement practices. They raise a number of issues - one of which is studies that show that both parents need to be equally involved in raising children, even if the parents are divorced.

These studies also show:

• That non-custodial parents who are involved with their children pay child support on a much more regular basis - which is very appealing to the public agency.
  
  
• That children who have both parents involved are better adjusted than children who do not have both parents involved in their lives - which is appealing to legislators who campaign on "family values" platforms.
  
  

The public agency is getting involved in visitation issues!

Their involvement in visitation issues will include:

• Reduction of the child support payments for low income fathers who become involved in the lives of their children. There is little doubt that this program will be expanded over time to include virtually all non-custodial parents who exercise their visitation rights.
  
  
• Requiring custodial parents to attend mediation programs that are designed to address visitation issues.
  
  
• Requiring custodial parents to possibly attend counseling sessions if they refuse visitation privileges with the non-custodial parent.
  
  

Two states already have pending legislation that will give child support credits to the non-custodial parent who exercises his or her visitation rights. This means that custodial parents could see a reduction in their child support payments if the non-custodial parent is visiting the children. Some states are already participating in a program called Fair Share - which allows a non-custodial parent to pay only $50 per month while he or she is undergoing job training programs and is involved in a counselling program.

As part of Welfare Reform, all child support cases may come under the public agency's jurisdiction and control. This means that the public agency would be involved in your child support case whether you want them to be or not.

What does all this mean to you?

• It could mean that your child support can be reduced.
  
  
• It could mean that you will be forced to allow visitation - or prove that the non-custodial parent is not a fit parent - which is an expensive proposition.
  
  
• It could mean that non-custodial parents will have a "loop-hole" to avoid paying child support based upon their contention that you are denying them visitation.
  
  
• It can open the door to more parents being awarded "joint custody" which could mean that no support is paid to either parent. If one parent does not live up to the terms of the "joint custody agreement" it is difficult to enforce - and one parent can end up with all the responsibilities of the children.
  
  
• It will mean more governmental interference in your life - and the lives of your children.
  
  

What can you do about this?

We all know that the government can not enforce child support orders effectively or efficiently. It stands to reason that they will not be able to deal with issues of visitation either. Since the public agencies are still developing their plans for this new agenda we do not know how they will approach this issue. But, rest assured, they will approach it.

Mothers Against Fathers In Arrears - or simply MAFIA. Through this group, parents will be able to have a unified voice with the public agencies, Congress and also their state legislatures. Through MAFIA you will be able to counter the arguments that are being made by non-custodial parents - and give your side of the story.

• You can provide the facts about how visitation is not being denied - it is just an excuse that is being used by the non-custodial parent to try to avoid paying child support.
  
  
• Or, if visitation is being denied - it is because it is in the best interests of the children who have been hurt too many times by parents who promise to pick them up and then never show up.
  
  
• Or, parents who pick the kids up and then drop them off at someone else's house while they go about doing what they want to do.
  
  
• Or, about non-custodial parents who pick up the kids after stopping off at the bar for a few drinks - or even worse, are drinking or using drugs around your children.
  
  
• Or, parents who are driving on suspended or revoked licenses - or who don't have insurance coverage on their vehicles.
  

The alternative is to do nothing and let the non-custodial parents who are trying to get out of paying child support win.