UK government accounts show billions of pounds, owed in child maintenance, may never be recovered. The absent parents have been referred to the Child Support Agency.
How sad for the lone parent who must raise a child after their partner abandons them. I remember my childhood after my father left my mother.
More than a million single parents are owed money the CSA ruled they were entitled to. Some have been waiting years.
But the department has been dogged with problems. Computer systems failed, mistakes were made with assessments, and absent parents were not tracked down.
Although some debts are virtually noncollectable, the government said it was prioritizing cases where a child was still being brought up. They are not writing off or ignoring the old debt.
Good luck to the trackers.
How sad for the lone parent who must raise a child after their partner abandons them. I remember my childhood after my father left my mother.
More than a million single parents are owed money the CSA ruled they were entitled to. Some have been waiting years.
But the department has been dogged with problems. Computer systems failed, mistakes were made with assessments, and absent parents were not tracked down.
Although some debts are virtually noncollectable, the government said it was prioritizing cases where a child was still being brought up. They are not writing off or ignoring the old debt.
Good luck to the trackers.
My mother at 18 years In my own case, my father fell for a richer woman and he saw a chance to climb higher on the social ladder. The charming, well-spoken and intelligent man made his choice. At the time, I must have been seven and my sister would have been three.
Back in the 40s, a woman was shunned without a husband to support her. I remember her crying a lot, and also, after my father called in for some private time with her, she'd cry some more.
Later, she sent my sister and I to a child hostel and disappeared for a while. When we saw her again, it seemed like years later but must have been a few months. With her was my youngest sister. Bad goings on there. And he didn't give my mother the money she needed to feed us and pay the rent. Who would support us?
Handy with the sewing machine, she made clothes for friends, one of them a young starlet who played the young female second lead in South Pacific. As we grew older, Mother worked as a dental assistant part-time so she could be home for us after school.
Back in the 40s, a woman was shunned without a husband to support her. I remember her crying a lot, and also, after my father called in for some private time with her, she'd cry some more.
Later, she sent my sister and I to a child hostel and disappeared for a while. When we saw her again, it seemed like years later but must have been a few months. With her was my youngest sister. Bad goings on there. And he didn't give my mother the money she needed to feed us and pay the rent. Who would support us?
Handy with the sewing machine, she made clothes for friends, one of them a young starlet who played the young female second lead in South Pacific. As we grew older, Mother worked as a dental assistant part-time so she could be home for us after school.
My sister & I dressing up After years of non-maintenance My father often took my two sisters and I to visit the house where he lived with his mother-in-law for the weekend. He'd arrive wearing a handmade silk shirt and a tailored suit and whisk us off in a car to the better part of Melbourne, Australia. I guess he thought he was doing his part.
By then, I was ten years, my sisters were six and three. I enjoyed our visits more than my sisters. After a while, my youngest sister refused to leave our mother.
I can't imagine her struggle to keep us fed, warm and secure. The young mothers of today must feel the same way, although I can't help thinking they might have better support. I learned afterward that my mother considered suicide before she gave birth to our sister. However, she was lucky to contact a kind woman who took her in with other mothers-to-be and saw them through their ordeal.
A ray of kindness shone in the darkness threatening to overwhelm my beautiful, vulnerable yet strong mother.
Despite what happened, I loved and respected both my parents. Every experience teaches us something. I learned self-reliance, and that I could do well without the benefit of a good background.
My hope is that the uncounted millions of children, raised without one parent, will learn to be good and kind.
By then, I was ten years, my sisters were six and three. I enjoyed our visits more than my sisters. After a while, my youngest sister refused to leave our mother.
I can't imagine her struggle to keep us fed, warm and secure. The young mothers of today must feel the same way, although I can't help thinking they might have better support. I learned afterward that my mother considered suicide before she gave birth to our sister. However, she was lucky to contact a kind woman who took her in with other mothers-to-be and saw them through their ordeal.
A ray of kindness shone in the darkness threatening to overwhelm my beautiful, vulnerable yet strong mother.
Despite what happened, I loved and respected both my parents. Every experience teaches us something. I learned self-reliance, and that I could do well without the benefit of a good background.
My hope is that the uncounted millions of children, raised without one parent, will learn to be good and kind.
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