We supported legislation that would remove the requirement that parents cooperate with child support enforcement as a condition of receiving assistance from the Child Care Assistance Program. This is not a requirement of the federal Child Care and Development Fund but is imposed solely at the state's discretion, and Rhode Island is currently one of only a handful of states that retain this requirement. Child support cooperation is an onerous process, requiring establishment of paternity, identifying and locating noncustodial parents and providing private and sensitive information.
For parents who have experienced domestic violence, the process is extremely frightening. Even though there are processes designed to protect the parent and her children, the fear can keep some parents from seeking the childcare assistance they need. Parents should be offered the opportunity to seek support from a non-custodial parent, but not be penalized for not taking advantage of the opportunity.
