Public Guarantee of Child Support

Child support—a monetary transfer from a non-resident parent to a lone parent to assist with the cost of raising children following union dissolution—is a critical source of income for the increasing proportion of lone-mother families, especially those at risk of experiencing poverty and material hardship. However, in a wide range of countries, a significant proportion of lone mothers do not receive financial support from their children’s father. Drawing on cross-national evidence and the Luxembourg Income Study Database (LIS), this policy brief highlights the importance of child support for lone-mother families and factors that may prevent lone mothers from receiving this transfer. It concludes with a series of recommendations to ensure regular and adequate child support is provided.