Voices on child support
Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
Federal agency that runs the Title IV-D program (paper prepared by Elaine Sorensen)
The exact words were found in the primary source linked below (testimony, book page, report or article), at the page given.
"The child support program has evolved over its 40-year existence from a focus on retaining child support to recover welfare costs to a family-centered program."
Source
The Story Behind the Numbers: The Child Support Program is a Good Investment, Office of Child Support Enforcement, ACF, U.S. HHS, 2016-12, p. 2 (PDF page 2 of 21) (report). Checked 2026-10-13.
Context
OCSE's own account of the program's purpose shift: it describes the program as one of the largest income-support programs for children and says it relies on "strong enforcement authorities" while serving the whole family. It is an agency self-assessment, not an independent evaluation.
The passage it comes from
The child support program has evolved over its 40-year existence from a focus on retaining child support to recover welfare costs to a family-centered program. This evolution has been guided by federal legislation and the changing needs of families. The child support program depends upon effective statewide automated systems and a broad array of strong enforcement authorities to obtain support for families. At the same time, the program recognizes it must serve the entire family to achieve the ultimate goal of improving the financial and emotional support of children. An effective child support program incorporates a mix of technology-driven processes, standard enforcement responses, and individual case management to maximize outcomes for children and families.
Share
Share images carry the verified label: landscape, 1200 x 630 · square, 1080 x 1080.
