Connecting Parents to Occupational Training: A Partnership Between Child Support Agencies and Local Service Providers

The federal Families First Demonstration Grant considered new ways of increasing the ability of parents who can’t meet their monthly child support obligation. Specifically, it integrated employment services and job training into local child support programs. In exchange for participating, certain enforcement remedies were stayed. Major findings included: the local agencies needed a certain amount of flexibility in the design and development of their project; identifying parents willing to participate was difficult; the majority of participants had a good experience, which benefits the program in the long term; and as order rates decreased, the total monthly payment amounts increased.