Contact: Joe Scialfa or Gina Paige ― 608-266-9000
(MADISON) – Children are Wisconsin’s greatest resource and providing them the support they need to become successful is the best investment any parent can make. In 2017, $934 million was invested into the well-being of children thanks to Wisconsin’s county and tribal child support agencies. To increase public awareness of Wisconsin’s Child Support Program and celebrate parents who provide the financial and emotional support children need to succeed, Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed August as Child Support Awareness Month.
Research shows that non-custodial parents who remain current in providing child support also have contact with their children and are engaged in daily activities. To help foster increased parental participation in their children’s lives, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) encourages all child support agencies to not only work to ensure timely payments, but also offer assistance to parents in gaining the means to stay involved with their children both financially and emotionally.
“Children whose parents make timely child support payments are typically healthier, have fewer behavioral problems, and do better in school,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Eloise Anderson. “Investing in children by providing support and building relationships helps lead to their lifelong success.”
Wisconsin’s child support agencies understand the importance of parental involvement to the over 370,000 children in the state whose parents are receiving child support services. Across the state, many county and tribal child support agencies are modernizing the program by offering a whole-family approach to help non-custodial parents forge a meaningful bond with their children. Through this approach, county workers are collaborating with non-custodial parents to connect them to job opportunities, provide them with opportunities to develop work skills, and deliver programming focused on mentorship and fatherhood.
“We understand that every family has challenges,” said DCF Secretary Eloise Anderson. “But we are here to support and uplift families, and promote a path to independence and prosperity for all families.”
To discover more about the Wisconsin Child Support Program, visit https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cs/home.
