Lone Parents and Child Support: Parental and State Responsibilities

  • Karen Clarke
Chapter

Abstract

In the context of a more general re-orientation of ‘western’ governments’ commitments to state welfare, there has been a radical shift of policy in Britain on the financial support of lone parents and their children. These changes appear to have been maintained despite a radical change of government in the UK in 1997 from New Right Conservative to New Labour. State policies directed at lone parents are particularly interesting because they involve the articulation of underlying principles of family responsibilities and gender roles. This chapter examines these principles as they were enacted in policy and experienced by lone mothers in the UK during the 1990s. It looks at the extent to which the concept of paternal responsibility, which underlies it, is one which reflects the beliefs of separated parents and, finally considers the significance of the modifications proposed by the Labour Government to the original policies of the Conservative Government, in terms of the relative responsibilities of state and family for children which they imply.

Keywords

Child Support Income Support Absent Father Lone Parent Child Support Payment 
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Copyright information

© Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Karen Clarke

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