The Michigan Office of Child Support R U Ready? The Responsibilities of Parenting

The Michigan
Office of Child Support
presents
The Responsibilities of Parenting –
R U Ready?
Department of Human Services Office of Child Support
[email protected]
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Introduction
Introduce presenters and
explain ground rules
Cell phones on silent, please
Limit side bar conversations
No texting
No flipping ahead in documents
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The Responsibilities of Parenting
- R U Ready?
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Contents
Unit 1 - The Challenge
Unit 2 - Facts about Teen Parents with Children.
Unit 3 - Establishing Paternity and a Legal Father.
Unit 4 - Marriage and Parenting Realities.
Unit 5 - Providing Financial and Medical Support.
Resources.
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Unit 1 - The Challenge
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What Is Child Support?
How Do Parents Receive Child Support?
What Is Paternity Establishment?
How Are Support Orders Established?
What Is Michigan Doing to Assist Parents?
Facts About Teen Parents.
High School Dropouts Are:
Why Teach About Child Support?
Teen Statistics on Marriage and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Unplanned Pregnancy Is Not Just A Teen Problem:
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Legal and Financial Responsibility
Unwed teen parents struggle with:
• Financial challenges of raising
their children.
• Many non-custodial parents fail
to contribute their share of child
support payments.
Both parents need to provide
physical, emotional and financial
support to their children!
Data Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
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Facts about Unwed Births
2007 National Data
• 1,714,643 births to unwed parents - the highest
ever registered for the U.S.
• 850,000 pregnancies to teens in the U.S.
• 100 teen girls get pregnant in the U.S. each hour!
2007 Michigan Data
• 48,000 births in Michigan to unwed parents.
• 12,664 births to teen parents.
• 91% of those teens were unwed.
Data Sources: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
and The Michigan Department of Community Health
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Facts about Teen Parents
Teen parents are:
• More likely to be on public assistance.
• 70% of unmarried teen mothers receive
public assistance within 1 year of the birth
of their child.
• Less likely to receive adequate prenatal care.
• Less likely to obtain job skills and work
experience.
• Very likely to quit school!
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Facts about earned income!
Men’s median income in 2007
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Non-high school graduates - $22,602.
High school graduates - $32,435.
Attending college or received an associate’s degree - $41,035.
A graduate with a bachelor’s degree - $57,397.
Women’s median income in 2007
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Non-high school graduates - $14,202.
High school graduates - $21,219.
Attending college, or received an associate’s degree - $27,046.
A graduate with a bachelor’s degree - $38,628.
Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau
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Why Teach About Child Support?
• Parents who do not finish high
school or college limit their
ability to obtain a good job.
• Unprepared teen parents are
often unable to provide the
emotional and financial support
for the remainder of their child’s
life which can lead to
developmental difficulties for
their children.
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What is Michigan doing to assist parents?
The Office of Child Support contracts in each county with
the Prosecuting Attorney and the Friend of the Court to
deliver child support services.
Prosecuting Attorney duties:
• Establishing paternity.
• Establishing a child support order.
Friend of the Court duties:
• Enforcing the child support orders.
• Working on parenting time and custody arrangements.
A child support order can include:
• Child support.
• Medical support.
• Childcare support.
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Why Teach about Child Support?
The primary focus of R U Ready is student
awareness of the legal and financial obligations
involved with responsible parenting!
This is not a sex education presentation!
Legal Responsibility – For unwed parents, this
means establishing paternity at birth.
Financial Responsibility – For unwed parents, this
means both parents need to provide physical,
emotional, financial and medical support.
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Unit 2 - Facts about Teen Parents
with Children
• Defining the Problem.
• The Effects of Unplanned
Pregnancy.
• Handout 2a: Glossary.
• Activity 2a: Glossary Matching.
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Unplanned Pregnancy - Defining the Problem
• Statistics from the National Center for Health
show a 3% increase in teenage pregnancies
between 2005 and 2006.
• 1 in 3 pregnancies in America are unplanned!
• 8 in 10 teens (82%) report that their pregnancy
was unplanned.
• Teen birth rates have increased among all
ethnic groups, age 15-17 years.
Data Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
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Unplanned Pregnancy Facts
• 34% of U.S. girls get pregnant at least once
before the age of 20.
• The U.S. teen pregnancy rate remains far
higher than in other industrialized countries.
• Some U.S. subgroups show an even higher
rate of teen pregnancy
– 51% of Latina teens become pregnant before
the age of 20.
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The Effects of Unplanned Pregnancy
Women with unplanned pregnancies are less
likely to get prenatal care, increasing the risk of:
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Babies with low birth weight.
A premature baby.
A baby dying (Infant mortality).
Children with poorer physical and mental health.
Children with lower cognitive test scores in
listening, vocabulary, memory and
communication.
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Child Support Glossary
The Responsibilities of Parenting – R U Ready?
provides a glossary, on pages 14 and 15, with
definitions of important child support terms used
throughout the teaching packet.
To test your understanding of
the materials, use the glossary
matching activity, located on
page 16 of the Student Guide.
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Unit 3 - Establishing Paternity
and a Legal Father
• What is Paternity Establishment?
• Why is a Legal Father important?
• Methods of Establishing Paternity
Handout 3a: The Affidavit of Parentage Form.
Activity 3b: Who Is the Legal Father?
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The Power of Two video
The Department of Health and Human Services
Power of Two video provides unwed mothers and
fathers with an explanation of their legal rights and
responsibilities, and the consequences of signing
a voluntary paternity acknowledgment. Click the
link below to view a portion of the video.
Time: 6:58 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nZWi3I2CW4
What is Paternity Establishment?
• Paternity establishment is the process of
determining the legal father.
• When the parents of a child are not married –
the child has no legal father until paternity is
established.
• The legal father is the man who is recognized
by law as the male parent of a child.
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Why is a Legal Father important?
When a child is born to unwed parents, the mother
is the only legal parent for the child. A legal father
must be determined for the child to have full legal
rights through both parents.
Father Categories:
• Putative or Alleged Father
• Biological Father
• Legal Father
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Methods of Establishing Paternity
Michigan’s two paternity establishment methods:
• The parents’ completion of the Affidavit of
Parentage, or
• A court order establishing paternity - which
may involve a DNA test of the mother, the
father and the child.
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The Benefits of Establishing Paternity
For the Child:
• Identity.
• Both parents names listed on the child’s
birth certificate.
• Medical or life insurance from both
parents.
• Health history from both parents.
• Financial support from both parents; may
include Social Security, veterans benefits,
inheritance rights and child support.
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The Benefits of Establishing Paternity
For the Mother
• Shared parental responsibility.
• The father’s health history for
medical professionals.
• Improving the financial
security for the child.
• Medical insurance coverage for
the child.
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The Benefits of Establishing Paternity
Benefits to the Father
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Shared parental responsibility.
Legal establishment of parental rights.
Having his name on his child’s birth certificate.
The right to seek court ordered custody and
visitation.
• The right to be informed and have a say in
adoption proceedings.
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Paternity Establishment Activity
Activity 3a: Who Is The Legal Father?
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Unit 4 – Marriage and Parenting Realities
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What makes a Parent Responsible?
Types of Custody and Parenting Arrangements.
Two Types of Joint Custody.
Marriage Realities.
It’s About Timing.
Advantages to being older and/or married before
having children.
• Characteristics of Lasting Marriages and Good
Relationships.
• Handout 4a: 10 Effective Parenting Skills.
• Activity 4a: Marriage questions.
• Activity 4b: Whose job is it?
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Responsible Parenting
Responsible parenting involves knowledge and making
appropriate decisions.
Parental responsibilities include:
Establishing Paternity
Love
Clothing
Providing Identity/Cultural Roots
Family
Time
Providing Financial Support
Food
Crib
Providing Medical Support
Shelter
Car seat
Establishing Medical History
Education
Sheets
Cooperative Parenting
Morals
Toys
Providing Guidance
Diapers
Providing Values
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Types of Custody and
Parenting Arrangements
Parents should attempt to agree on custody, but if they
cannot, Judges may order the custodial arrangements.
Sole custody - when primary physical and legal custody are given to
one parent.
Physical custody - when one parent provides most of the daily care
for the child.
Legal custody - when one parent has the responsibility of making all
major decisions regarding the child’s upbringing, including:
Medical treatment.
School enrollment.
Religious instruction.
Participation in extracurricular activities.
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Marriage Realities
• Teen marriage is rare.
• Pregnancy no longer means “Parents Must Marry.”
• Teenage marriages typically are
unstable.
• Unmarried mothers are at a greater
risk of poverty.
• Teen marriage is not a cure-all.
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It’s About Waiting and Sequencing
The Risks of Unplanned Pregnancy for Teen
Parents:
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Dropping out of high school.
Lower economic productivity.
Greater reliance on public assistance.
Higher rates of poverty.
Single parenthood.
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Marriage Realities
• The cost to raise a child to 18 years is over
$242,000 for parents with an income of $39,100.*
• 33% of teen marriages end in divorce within 5
years and 50% end within 10 years.
• In Michigan annually there are 59,996 marriages
and 34,522 divorces.
*Data per the U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Advantages of older and/or married parents
Children of never-married mothers do not always
suffer, however, two decades of social science
research indicates that children thrive when their
parents:
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Are older (beyond teen years).
Have completed at least high school.
Are in stable and committed relationships.
Are ready to take on the complex challenges of
being parents.
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It’s About Waiting and Sequencing
If more teenagers complete their education,
secure employment, and then married and/or
established stable home lives before
becoming parents…
The entire family benefits!!!
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Shared Responsibility of Teen Parents
• Handout 4a: Ten Effective Parenting Skills.
• Activity 4a: Marriage questions.
• Activity 4b : Whose job is it?
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Unit 5: Financial and Medical Support
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Financial and Medical Support.
How Is the Amount of Child Support Determined?
Friend of the Court Questions and Answers.
The Michigan Child Support Formula.
What Happens If the Non-Custodial Parent Does
Not Pay Child Support?
• Activity 5a: Truth or Myth.
• Activity 5b: Budgeting for Child
Support.
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How Is the Amount of Child
Support Determined?
The court determines child support amounts
using the Michigan Child Support Formula
guidelines established in state law.
• Guidelines are based upon the monthly
income of both parents.
• Even if the parents are not working, the court
may order them to pay child support.
• In some cases, both parents may be ordered
to pay support for a child not in their care.
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Friend of the Court
Questions and Answers
• How can I change my child support order?
• What happens when the Friend of the Court
reviews the child support order?
• What do I do if I have been ordered to pay
child support and I lose my job or earn less
money?
• When the court orders an increase/decrease in
my child support order is it permanent?
• What can I do if I disagree with the amount of
support recommended by the Friend of the
Court?
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The Michigan Child Support Formula
The court uses the following information to
calculate the child support amounts:
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Parent’s income and assets.
Allowable deductions.
Consideration of multiple children.
Parenting time adjustments.
Medical (Health Care) obligations.
Arrearages that may be owed.
Agreements related to property.
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Child Support Enforcement Methods
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Automatically withholding money from paychecks.
Applying a lien against homes or other property.
Issuing a bad credit report.
Locating unreported employers.
Automatically withdrawing money from bank accounts.
Court hearings.
Bench warrants to arrest the non-payor.
Intercepting federal and state tax returns.
Booting a car.
Suspending licenses, such as drivers, hunting and
fishing licenses.
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Financial and Medical Support Activities
Activity 5a: Truth or Myth – page 38.
Activity 5b: Budgeting for Child Support – pages 39-41.
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The Responsibilities of Parenting
– R U Ready?
Thank you for completing
the child support teaching packet!
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