Cracking down on parents with child maintenance debts: why it is hard to be optimistic

New figures released by the government show that £43.5 million is currently owed in child maintenance arrears within the new statutory maintenance system which began full operations two years ago. Janet Allbeson explains that with no key performance indicator for the collection of arrears, and with enforcement action falling, it is hard to be optimistic that the government will be effective in tackling non-payment. In the meantime, bills can’t be paid and children go without.