Child Maintenance Policies in Iceland: Caring Mothers and Breadwinning Fathers

Iceland is one of the Nordic countries that are known for their extensive welfare states. Like the other Nordic countries, Iceland has a child maintenance regime, dealing with issues such as allocation of responsibility, assessment of the level of obligation, and the payment and collection of child maintenance. In contrast to the other Nordic countries, the development of child and family law, and changes in family forms, have only been taken into consideration to a very limited extent when it comes to the child maintenance regime in Iceland. The system, which has remained basically unchanged since it was established in 1946, requires non-resident parents to pay a specified minimum amount to the parent with care, regardless of circumstances, such as their financial situation or the level of contact they have with their children. This article examines the characteristics of the child maintenance regime in Iceland by looking at how maintenance payments are assessed for families in different situations. Current debates about the contemporary system are also discussed and a proposal for substantial changes, which is currently under consideration, is briefly considered.