Ineligible by Krys Maki

Author:Krys Maki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: welfare;surveillance;single mothers
Publisher: Fernwood Publishing
Published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Experiences with the Family Responsibility Office

OW caseworkers were largely supportive of the fro investigations and even described the positive aspects. A few felt that these investigations were necessary and actually helped single mothers, as child support payments would benefit them financially. Kim argued that the fro provides recipients with a “free service” so that absent parents are not “off the hook for financially providing for their families.” Tom also reflected on this policy, saying, “of course it’s surveillance … not so much on the women, although you have to ask them and make them disclose personal and embarrassing things. The surveillance piece is really on the man in order to hunt him down, if you will, that’s a strong word.” These examples highlight the differing experiences of those administering versus those living through surveillance and how, depending on where one is located in the welfare surveillance apparatus, perceptions and experiences can be drastically different.

The women in my study had mixed feelings about the fro that were largely skeptical of the process. They felt that investigations regarding a biological father’s identity and whereabouts made them feel they had done something wrong and, for survivors of abuse, left them feeling vulnerable to further abuse, stalking, or harassment. Similar to their encounters with welfare caseworkers, single mothers felt intimidated by fro investigations and at risk of financial punishment unless they produced “results” that helped to locate the biological father in question. Their fears were well founded, since, if they did not make “reasonable efforts” to secure child support (assessment of which is left to the discretion of individual caseworkers and the fro), they can have monthly benefits reduced or suspended (mccss 2017). The policy raises important questions on what (and who) determines whether a “reasonable effort” has been made and if it is an appropriate use of single mothers’ time to take on the responsibility of “tracking down” her former partner.

This entire process was frustrating for single mothers for several reasons. Some were well aware that their former partners, who were also living in poverty themselves, could not afford the payments. For instance, Julia’s ex-partner was receiving odsp and she felt it was pointless to try to get child support from him: “They obviously couldn’t get money from him, but it was still the formality of it. It was a waste of time. Like, why do I have to apply for child support when you know that he’s not going to pay it because he’s on disability and you basically can’t touch him.” As well, several mothers, especially those who had maintained friendships and co-parented with their ex-partners, noted that they did receive small payments from their ex-partners even though it was not “on the books.” The reason they kept this hidden was because at the time, child support payments were clawed back from their monthly welfare cheque, putting them no further ahead. So they lied to ensure that their children could actually benefit from the payments. The policy at the time considered

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