1 The Michigan Office of Child Support presents The Responsibilities of Parenting – R U Ready? Department of Human Services Office of Child Support

2 Introduction Introduce presenters and explain ground rules  Cell phones on silent, please  Limit side bar conversations  No texting  No flipping ahead in documents

3 The Responsibilities of Parenting - R U Ready?

4 Contents Unit 1 - The Challenge Unit 2 - Facts about Teen Parents with Children. Unit 3 - Establishing Paternity and a Legal Father. Unit 4 - Marriage and Parenting Realities. Unit 5 - Providing Financial and Medical Support. Resources.

5 Unit 1 - The Challenge What Is Child Support? How Do Parents Receive Child Support? What Is Paternity Establishment? How Are Support Orders Established? What Is Michigan Doing to Assist Parents? Facts About Teen Parents. High School Dropouts Are: Why Teach About Child Support? Teen Statistics on Marriage and Unplanned Pregnancy. Unplanned Pregnancy Is Not Just A Teen Problem:

6 Legal and Financial Responsibility Unwed teen parents struggle with: Financial challenges of raising their children. Many non-custodial parents fail to contribute their share of child support payments. Data Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Both parents need to provide physical, emotional and financial support to their children!

7 Facts about Unwed Births 2007 National Data 1,714,643 births to unwed parents - the highest ever registered for the U.S. 850,000 pregnancies to teens in the U.S. 100 teen girls get pregnant in the U.S. each hour! 2007 Michigan Data 48,000 births in Michigan to unwed parents. 12,664 births to teen parents. 91% of those teens were unwed. Data Sources: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and The Michigan Department of Community Health

8 Facts about Teen Parents Teen parents are: More likely to be on public assistance. 70% of unmarried teen mothers receive public assistance within 1 year of the birth of their child. Less likely to receive adequate prenatal care. Less likely to obtain job skills and work experience. Very likely to quit school!

9 Facts about earned income! Men’s median income in 2007 Non-high school graduates - $22,602. High school graduates - $32,435. Attending college or received an associate’s degree - $41,035. A graduate with a bachelor’s degree - $57,397. Women’s median income in 2007 Non-high school graduates - $14,202. High school graduates - $21,219. Attending college, or received an associate’s degree - $27,046. A graduate with a bachelor’s degree - $38,628. Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

10 Why Teach About Child Support? Parents who do not finish high school or college limit their ability to obtain a good job. Unprepared teen parents are often unable to provide the emotional and financial support for the remainder of their child’s life which can lead to developmental difficulties for their children.

11 What is Michigan doing to assist parents? The Office of Child Support contracts in each county with the Prosecuting Attorney and the Friend of the Court to deliver child support services. Prosecuting Attorney duties: Establishing paternity. Establishing a child support order. Friend of the Court duties: Enforcing the child support orders. Working on parenting time and custody arrangements. A child support order can include: Child support. Medical support. Childcare support.

12 Why Teach about Child Support? The primary focus of R U Ready is student awareness of the legal and financial obligations involved with responsible parenting! This is not a sex education presentation! Legal Responsibility – For unwed parents, this means establishing paternity at birth. Financial Responsibility – For unwed parents, this means both parents need to provide physical, emotional, financial and medical support.

13 Unit 2 - Facts about Teen Parents with Children Defining the Problem. The Effects of Unplanned Pregnancy. Handout 2a: Glossary. Activity 2a: Glossary Matching.

14 Unplanned Pregnancy - Defining the Problem Statistics from the National Center for Health show a 3% increase in teenage pregnancies between 2005 and in 3 pregnancies in America are unplanned! 8 in 10 teens (82%) report that their pregnancy was unplanned. Teen birth rates have increased among all ethnic groups, age years. Data Source: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

15 Unplanned Pregnancy Facts 34% of U.S. girls get pregnant at least once before the age of 20. The U.S. teen pregnancy rate remains far higher than in other industrialized countries. Some U.S. subgroups show an even higher rate of teen pregnancy –51% of Latina teens become pregnant before the age of 20.

16 The Effects of Unplanned Pregnancy Women with unplanned pregnancies are less likely to get prenatal care, increasing the risk of: Babies with low birth weight. A premature baby. A baby dying (Infant mortality). Children with poorer physical and mental health. Children with lower cognitive test scores in listening, vocabulary, memory and communication.

17 Child Support Glossary The Responsibilities of Parenting – R U Ready? provides a glossary, on pages 14 and 15, with definitions of important child support terms used throughout the teaching packet. To test your understanding of the materials, use the glossary matching activity, located on page 16 of the Student Guide.

18 Unit 3 - Establishing Paternity and a Legal Father What is Paternity Establishment? Why is a Legal Father important? Methods of Establishing Paternity Handout 3a: The Affidavit of Parentage Form. Activity 3b: Who Is the Legal Father?

The Department of Health and Human Services Power of Two video provides unwed mothers and fathers with an explanation of their legal rights and responsibilities, and the consequences of signing a voluntary paternity acknowledgment. Click the link below to view a portion of the video. The Power of Two video Time: 6:58

20 What is Paternity Establishment? Paternity establishment is the process of determining the legal father. When the parents of a child are not married – the child has no legal father until paternity is established. The legal father is the man who is recognized by law as the male parent of a child.

21 Why is a Legal Father important? Father Categories: Putative or Alleged Father Biological Father Legal Father When a child is born to unwed parents, the mother is the only legal parent for the child. A legal father must be determined for the child to have full legal rights through both parents.

22 Methods of Establishing Paternity Michigan’s two paternity establishment methods: The parents’ completion of the Affidavit of Parentage, or A court order establishing paternity - which may involve a DNA test of the mother, the father and the child.

23 The Benefits of Establishing Paternity For the Child: Identity. Both parents names listed on the child’s birth certificate. Medical or life insurance from both parents. Health history from both parents. Financial support from both parents; may include Social Security, veterans benefits, inheritance rights and child support.

24 The Benefits of Establishing Paternity Shared parental responsibility. The father’s health history for medical professionals. Improving the financial security for the child. Medical insurance coverage for the child. For the Mother

25 The Benefits of Establishing Paternity Benefits to the Father Shared parental responsibility. Legal establishment of parental rights. Having his name on his child’s birth certificate. The right to seek court ordered custody and visitation. The right to be informed and have a say in adoption proceedings.

26 Paternity Establishment Activity Activity 3a: Who Is The Legal Father?

27 Unit 4 – Marriage and Parenting Realities What makes a Parent Responsible? Types of Custody and Parenting Arrangements. Two Types of Joint Custody. Marriage Realities. It’s About Timing. Advantages to being older and/or married before having children. Characteristics of Lasting Marriages and Good Relationships. Handout 4a: 10 Effective Parenting Skills. Activity 4a: Marriage questions. Activity 4b: Whose job is it?

28 Responsible Parenting Responsible parenting involves knowledge and making appropriate decisions. Establishing PaternityLoveClothing Providing Identity/Cultural RootsFamilyTime Providing Financial SupportFoodCrib Providing Medical SupportShelterCar seat Establishing Medical HistoryEducationSheets Cooperative ParentingMoralsToys Providing GuidanceDiapers Providing Values Parental responsibilities include:

29 Types of Custody and Parenting Arrangements Parents should attempt to agree on custody, but if they cannot, Judges may order the custodial arrangements. Sole custody - when primary physical and legal custody are given to one parent. Physical custody - when one parent provides most of the daily care for the child. Legal custody - when one parent has the responsibility of making all major decisions regarding the child’s upbringing, including: Medical treatment.School enrollment. Religious instruction.Participation in extracurricular activities.

30 Marriage Realities Teen marriage is rare. Pregnancy no longer means “Parents Must Marry.” Teenage marriages typically are unstable. Unmarried mothers are at a greater risk of poverty. Teen marriage is not a cure-all.

31 It’s About Waiting and Sequencing The Risks of Unplanned Pregnancy for Teen Parents: Dropping out of high school. Lower economic productivity. Greater reliance on public assistance. Higher rates of poverty. Single parenthood.

32 Marriage Realities The cost to raise a child to 18 years is over $242,000 for parents with an income of $39,100.* 33% of teen marriages end in divorce within 5 years and 50% end within 10 years. In Michigan annually there are 59,996 marriages and 34,522 divorces. * Data per the U.S. Department of Agriculture

33 Advantages of older and/or married parents Children of never-married mothers do not always suffer, however, two decades of social science research indicates that children thrive when their parents: Are older (beyond teen years). Have completed at least high school. Are in stable and committed relationships. Are ready to take on the complex challenges of being parents.

34 It’s About Waiting and Sequencing If more teenagers complete their education, secure employment, and then married and/or established stable home lives before becoming parents… The entire family benefits!!!

35 Shared Responsibility of Teen Parents Handout 4a: Ten Effective Parenting Skills. Activity 4a: Marriage questions. Activity 4b : Whose job is it?

36 Unit 5: Financial and Medical Support Financial and Medical Support. How Is the Amount of Child Support Determined? Friend of the Court Questions and Answers. The Michigan Child Support Formula. What Happens If the Non-Custodial Parent Does Not Pay Child Support? Activity 5a: Truth or Myth. Activity 5b: Budgeting for Child Support.

37 How Is the Amount of Child Support Determined? The court determines child support amounts using the Michigan Child Support Formula guidelines established in state law. Guidelines are based upon the monthly income of both parents. Even if the parents are not working, the court may order them to pay child support. In some cases, both parents may be ordered to pay support for a child not in their care.

38 Friend of the Court Questions and Answers How can I change my child support order? What happens when the Friend of the Court reviews the child support order? What do I do if I have been ordered to pay child support and I lose my job or earn less money? When the court orders an increase/decrease in my child support order is it permanent? What can I do if I disagree with the amount of support recommended by the Friend of the Court?

39 The Michigan Child Support Formula The court uses the following information to calculate the child support amounts: Parent’s income and assets. Allowable deductions. Consideration of multiple children. Parenting time adjustments. Medical (Health Care) obligations. Arrearages that may be owed. Agreements related to property.

40 Child Support Enforcement Methods Automatically withholding money from paychecks. Applying a lien against homes or other property. Issuing a bad credit report. Locating unreported employers. Automatically withdrawing money from bank accounts. Court hearings. Bench warrants to arrest the non-payor. Intercepting federal and state tax returns. Booting a car. Suspending licenses, such as drivers, hunting and fishing licenses.

41 Financial and Medical Support Activities Activity 5a: Truth or Myth – page 38. Activity 5b: Budgeting for Child Support – pages

42 The Responsibilities of Parenting – R U Ready? Thank you for completing the child support teaching packet!