CSA Charges

I have to confess that right now the Tories are my most favourite people in the whole world.  Oh, wait a minute.  Sorry.  They’re the right wing bastards who would demonise anyone in my position right?  Of course, all us single mums (where are the mentions of single dads hey Tories?) are lowlife wasters who want nothing more than to screw the government out whatever they have to give right?  None of us are single because we wished to escape abusive relationships are we.  None of us are single because we were unceremoniously dumped by our other-halves were we.  Hmm.  And now they’re proposing charging for the use of the Child Support Agency.  Key words there are of course Child Support.  It’s not there to help us single mums scrounge a bit more money for luxuries.  It’s there to (in theory at least) get the fathers of our children, and in some cases the mothers, to pay up their share of their child’s care.  It costs money to clothe, feed and house children.  Hell, it costs a fortune! 

Now, some wonderful politicians have come up with the theory that the CSA divides people.  What about the people who are already divided?  I know people who have had no financial help from the fathers of their children purely because the fathers didn’t want to know.  How is this the fault of the mother?  Some people can cooperate and make their own arrangements without the CSA of course.  But they are very lucky.  Trying to get money out of The Ex is a nightmare.  And may I remind you Tory arseholes that I don’t want the money so I can go and buy myself a new handbag or something.  I want the money because as The Child’s father, The Ex should be financially responsible for her as well.  I am a single mum because I didn’t want to remain in an emotionally, and potentially physically, abusive relationship.  It wasn’t healthy for me or The Child.  It wasn’t healthy for The Ex either.  That does not make me a bad person.  It makes me a person who wants the best for my daughter and myself.

And just for the record, I have been to university and have a degree.  I didn’t ever intend to be in such a situation.  I would love to get out of this situation.  Instead of making our lives even harder, perhaps you could actually think of ways to help people in my situation?  Hmm?  Or at the very least, try not to judge us all so harshly.  Most of us are fundamentally decent people trying to do what’s best for our kids.  And the CSA is rubbish anyway.  How could anyone consider it a luxury?  I suppose I am being a tad hypocritical though, expecting the Tories to empathise with us lone parents when I can’t empathise with them at all.  Oh well.  It’s not like public opinion counts for much in this day and age anyway.  But that’s democracy for you.