The Centre for Separated Families

PRESS RELEASE

29.01.12 – For immediate release

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Charity supports IDS on child maintenance charges

Family separation charity, the Centre for Separated Families, says that Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, is right to defend the government's proposal to charge parents to use the Child Support Agency.

Commenting on the announcement, Karen Woodall, Director of the Centre for Separated Families said:

"What we know is that not only are parents happier with private, family-based arrangements but that they tend to work better, there is greater compliance and they are more flexible in responding to children's changing needs."

"What we need to do is help parents to make their own arrangements wherever possible. Charging a small amount to access the CSA is one way of encouraging parents to consider all their options before rushing head long into using the statutory scheme."

"Yes, the charges should not be so high as to prevent those who need the statutory system from using it and we also believe that any upfront charges should be shared between both parents. But Iain Duncan Smith is right when he says that more than 50% of parents who are currently using the CSA believe that with the right support they could have made private arrangements."

"Recent figures show that more than two thirds of parents with a family-based arrangement said they were happy with their situation. Only a third of CSA clients said they felt the same. Surely we should be helping more families to make their own arrangements." 1

"More families making their own arrangements means a sharper, more effective statutory scheme for those who really do need to use it."

"We fully support the government's intention to put the needs of children first and to promote the involvement of both parents in children's lives. We also know that parents who are able to collaborate on maintenance can find it easier to build more co-operative parenting relationships in general."

"The campaign around the proposed changes to the child maintenance system has been largely based on outdated stereotypes around parental behaviour. By offering support to both parents and to the wider family, we believe that the changes will bring about much better outcomes for children."

Ends.

Notes to the editor:

1. http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/news/article33.html

The Centre for Separated Families is a national charity working with and on behalf of families experiencing divorce and separation in order to bring better outcomes for children.

The Centre offers information, support and advice to mothers and fathers, whatever their parenting status, and has a range of innovative education programmes to support co-operative parenting.

The Centre for Separated Families works with Government and other agencies to help deliver best practice in services delivered to separated families.

The Centre for Separated Families worked with the Department for Work and Pensions in helping to create the Child Maintenance Options service that provide support and information to parents around child maintenance. www.cmoptions.org

The Centre for Separated Families trained the Child Maintenance Choices service, delivered by the Department for Social Development, in Northern Ireland in providing support and information to parents around child maintenance.

Further information: 07810 482 088

http://www.separatedfamilies.org.uk/