Fragmented child law– the consequences of conflicting rules regarding child maintenance

This interdisciplinary project is based on how issues of child maintenance relate to different, sometimes conflicting, goals of Swedish family policy, such as gender equality goals, equal rights and obligations for mothers and fathers, and goals for safeguarding basic welfare for all families with children.

There are obvious gender aspects regarding the division of responsibilities for children after a separation. These aspects can be rendered invisible by the gender-neutral family policy. Assumptions made about cooperation between parents after separation, and state withdrawal from issues of family law, risk affecting already vulnerable groups of single parents. These issues are analysed from a social science perspective.

A forensic analysis is used to explore the complexity of the legislation and the particular challenge that is inherent in the fragmentation of maintenance issues into public law and civil law, which complicates coordination and consensus.