Child Support Agencies as Connectors

Abstract

For many noncustodial parents (NCPs), limited earnings and complex barriers to work make meeting child support obligations difficult. A limited body of previous research has identified that as child support agencies evolve from a strictly enforcement culture towards a more supportive orientation, some find it beneficial to connect NCPs to supportive services. However, much remains to be learned about how agencies view their role in serving NCPs with employment barriers, their perceptions of service needs and gaps among non-paying obligors, and challenges they face in connecting NCPs to supportive services. This mixed methods study aims to fill this gap, through interviews with and surveys of Wisconsin child support agencies.