A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Child Support Policy across High-Income Countries: Similar Problems, Different Approaches
Authors: Hakovirta Mia, Cuesta Laura, Haapanen Mari, Meyer Daniel R.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Publication year: 2022
Journal: ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
Volume: 702
Issue: 1
First page : 97
Last page: 111
eISSN: 1552-3349
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00027162221119959
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1177/00027162221119959
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/177587809
We provide an overview of child support policy in high-income countries, highlighting differences in institutional arrangements, the amount of child support due, and the amount of child support received. We show that the United States expects high levels of child support from nonresident parents when compared to other countries, that noncompliance is a problem across countries, and that most European countries deal with nonpayment of child support by providing guarantees of public support for children and resident parents. The guarantee schemes vary in terms of eligibility and generosity. Throughout, we find that child support policy approaches differ across countries. A key policy implication from this review is that the United States may be expecting too much child support from nonresident parents and that it could consider guaranteeing a modest amount of public support to single-parent households.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |