Foster Care Abuses

Across the country, parents living in poverty are burdened with child support fees they cannot afford.

Parents shouldn’t lose their children just because they’re poor. But in many states, that’s exactly what happens.

When parents are unable to afford adequate housing, child support systems too often respond by removing children from the custody of their parents. These parents are then expected to make large payments to the state they live in to cover the cost of foster care. The monthly child support charges are imposed without regard for a parent’s ability to pay, even if they are already struggling to make ends meet. Instead of supporting families who need it most, this practice only drives families deeper into debt, prolongs separation, and punishes parents simply for being poor.