“You Just Have to Look at It as a Gift”: Low-Income Single Mothers’ Experiences of the Child Support System

Abstract

The current child support system emphasizes making parents pay first before the state provides economic assistance. Despite research suggesting that child support can financially benefit low-income households, many custodial mothers do not pursue child support orders. In this study, the author uses in-depth interviews with 25 low-income single mothers to better understand (1) why some women do not file for child support and (2) for those who do enter into this system, what are their experiences in navigating the child support process, including interacting with the fathers of their children as well as with the state.

KEYWORDS:

• child support
• poverty
• nonmarital childbearing
• in-depth interviews