Can MNHQ ask Marcus Rashford to campaign for stricter child maintenance laws next?

[Annabellerina]

I keep reading about Marcus Rashford's achievements with the fsm campaign and he's doing so well leading the way, raising awareness, showing up the government and inspiring communities to look after their children.
I'm wondering if the same can be done for child maintenance next, put a microscope on to the shitty men in our communities. It's linked isn't it, many women are bringing their children up below the bread line because the men have disappeared and will take no responsibility.

I couldn't agree more, we need better enforcement and also a massive public campaign to make it socially unacceptable.

Drink driving used to be seen as no big deal, that changed because of a huge public education/ad campaign over many years.

Ultimately we need high profile men to speak up on this. Marcus would be a good person to start the ball rolling.

Tightening up child maintenance might be part of the solution but it's not all of it. How about doing something to educate people on the commitment that having children represents? Too many people have kids when they are not ready emotionally or financially to support them. Too many men abdicate responsibility for contraception to women because they just don't care. Then there are too many women happily getting pregnant to feckless, immature, selfish numpties and acting all surprised when it turns into a train wreck.

All true but not sure Marcus can deal with all that 😂

@Annabellerina

I keep reading about Marcus Rashford's achievements with the fsm campaign and he's doing so well leading the way, raising awareness, showing up the government and inspiring communities to look after their children. I'm wondering if the same can be done for child maintenance next, put a microscope on to the shitty men in our communities. It's linked isn't it, many women are bringing their children up below the bread line because the men have disappeared and will take no responsibility.

Totally agree OP.

Every campaign always seems to need that 'Joanna Lumley moment' (or a 'Marcus Rashford moment' now) and it would certainly be good to see a high profile campaign to pressure the government to sort out child support without penalising single parents (mostly female), which is what invariably happens.

It's linked isn't it, many women are bringing their children up below the bread line because the men have disappeared and will take no responsibility.

I wish you'd posted this on AIBU with voting enabled, there's currently a thread in which the 'children go hungry because abusive mothers spend the money on drugs' trope is being pushed.

High-profile men like Boris who doesn't appear to know how many children he has?

I think the only way things will improve with CM is if the government makes non-payment have the same repercussions as what you'd get if you tried to scam HMRC. Jail time, asset seisures, criminal record, the lot. And why should it not be taken as seriously? You're literally stealing money from your kids.

Hmmm maybe putting more emphasis on Father's having an active role in child upbringing would be more appropriate.

I think the problem is there are no consequences for not paying. My ex didn’t pay a single penny for 3 years and cms told me not to bother opening a case (I told them he wasn’t working or claiming benefits) so I got told not to bother, I told them I would still be Opening one in case he does get a job. 3 years later he now pays £7 a week for our FOUR children.

I couldn’t agree more. “Single mothers” are judged blamed for many things - by Boris himself - when they are the ones living and supporting their children.

Let’s shift the focus to “absent fathers” instead, or the fathers still in their children’s lives who exploit loopholes to reduce or avoid cma, as well as failing to provide any practical support that would enable the mothers to work or retrain.

That would be bloody amazing if the spot light shone on all those loser 'dads' who don't bother supporting their children.
I mean, it's been a crazy year, maybe it might be possible?

Let’s shift the focus to “absent fathers” instead, or the fathers still in their children’s lives who exploit loopholes to reduce or avoid cma, as well as failing to provide any practical support that would enable the mothers to work or retrain
Yes!
It should also be totally socially unacceptable to go from woman to woman promising the earth and then abandoning your kids too.
It would be also great if women wised up a bit and realised that a man with a string of 'crazy exes' who 'stop him seeing his kids'is a giant red flag.

It will never change. Look at those that make the laws. Do they look like they give a shit about struggling families. Easier to blame the single parent for daring to have children. Than expect the absent parent to provide for the child also.