In family law and government policy, child support or child
maintenance is the ongoing obligation for a periodic payment made
directly or indirectly by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent,
caregiver or guardian, or the government, for the care and support of
children of a relationship or marriage that has been terminated. In family
law, child support is often arranged as part of a divorce, marital
separation, dissolution, annulment, determination of parentage or
dissolution of a civil union and may supplement alimony (spousal support)
arrangements.
The right to child support and the responsibilities of parents to
provide such support have been internationally recognized. The 1992 United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a binding convention signed
by every member nation of the United Nations and formally ratified by all
but two, declares that the upbringing and development of children and a
standard of living adequate for the children's development is a common
responsibility of both parents and a fundamental human right for children,
and asserts that the primary responsibility to provide such for the
children rests with their parents. Other United Nations documents and
decisions related to child support enforcement include the 1956 United
Nations Convention on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance, which was
ratified by the vast majority of UN member nations.
In addition, the right to child support, as well as specific
implementation and enforcement measures, has been recognized by various
other international entities, including the Council of Europe, the
European Union and the Hague Conference.
Within individual countries, examples of legislation pertaining to, and
establishing guidelines for, the implementation and collection of child
maintenance include the 1975 Family Law Act (Australia), the Child Support
Act (United Kingdom) and the Maintenance and Affiliation Act (Fiji) Child
support laws and obligations are known to be recognized in a vast majority
of world nations, including the majority of countries in Europe, North
America and Australia, as well as many in Africa, Asia and South America.
