Recent trends in child maintenance schemes in 14 countries

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recent trends in child maintenance schemes in 14 countries

AU - Skinner, C

AU - Davidson, J

PY - 2009/4

Y1 - 2009/4

N2 - Changes in family formations in western industrialized countries since the 1960s have not been reflected in cross-national research in the area of child maintenance. This article outlines child support regimes in 14 countries, considering the locus of formal decision making, the determination of child maintenance obligations - highlighted by way of national informant responses to two fictitious vignette scenarios - and the enforcement and penalty provisions used in the event of non-compliance. The article concludes that while some broad trends can be identified across countries, there is diversity in how countries respond to family change.

AB - Changes in family formations in western industrialized countries since the 1960s have not been reflected in cross-national research in the area of child maintenance. This article outlines child support regimes in 14 countries, considering the locus of formal decision making, the determination of child maintenance obligations - highlighted by way of national informant responses to two fictitious vignette scenarios - and the enforcement and penalty provisions used in the event of non-compliance. The article concludes that while some broad trends can be identified across countries, there is diversity in how countries respond to family change.

KW - employment/benefits

KW - social exclusion

KW - child well-being

KW - income

KW - poverty

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65349152507&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/lawfam/ebn017

DO - 10.1093/lawfam/ebn017

M3 - Article

SN - 1360-9939

VL - 23

SP - 25

EP - 52

JO - International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family

JF - International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family

IS - 1

ER -