Separated mothers with a child support liability in Australia: does the gender of the liable parent matter for compliance?

Abstract

In recent decades, changes in post-separation parenting arrangements in Australia have led to an increase in the small but significant group of mothers with shared (i.e., equal or near-equal time) or minority-time, and mothers liable to pay child support to fathers. While the Child Support Scheme is ostensibly gender-neutral, genderneutral policy does not necessarily produce gender-neutral outcomes. Research with separated parents with more ‘traditional’ arrangements indicates that fathers who spend time with their children are more likely to comply with their child support than those who rarely or never see them. But might social norms for ‘good’ mothers and ‘good’ fathers differ? Gendered norms of mothering as ‘ever present’ suggest the same relationship between parenting time and money might not apply. The present study uses data from the Child Support Reform Study, a national random sample of separated parents in Australia. In total, 185 mothers with a child support liability were identified. Drawing on reports from separated mothers and fathers liable to pay child support in 2008 (Time 0), the study found that 43% of liable mothers had shared- or more-time, and their children were older. Mothers worked fewer hours in paid employment, often had a self-employed former partner, and a negative (particularly fearful) relationship than liable fathers. Using a typology of liable mothers developed for the study, differences in socio-demographic characteristics, family dynamics, and wellbeing emerged between the four liable mother groups (i.e., those with less-time, equal-time, more-time, and split-residence). In addition, parenting time was negatively related to perceived fairness of child support and compliance—both decreasing as parenting time increased. Although there was no significant difference between liable mothers’ and liable fathers’ compliance when measured as in full and on time, mothers were significantly less likely to pay any of the liability, and marginally less compliant where payment was transferred between parents privately. Nonetheless most mothers contributed in-kind support, including all mothers who did not pay their liability in full. Odds of non-compliance for liable mothers increased as their time with their child increased, and was higher for mothers with split-residence. Low levels of inter-parental conflict over money also related to noncompliance. The study’s findings highlight the complexity of liable mothers’ family circumstances compared to liable fathers. They illustrate the importance of taking a gender perspective to policy. Liable mothers and liable fathers differ in a number of important ways. This points to gender norms as important in understanding the compliance of mothers with a child support liability in Australia. Show more