ABSTRACT
Non-resident fathers have been depicted in a mainly negative way.' In the US, non-resident fathers are frequently called Deadbeat Dads, and in the UK they have been presented as feckless ne'er-do-wells passing on their responsibilities to the taxpayer. Indeed, it was this firm non-resident father ideology that was responsible, to some extent, for the way the Child Support Act 1991 was launched. Margaret Thatcher set the tone of child support policy making in talking about fathers 'walking away from marriage . . . neither maintains nor shows any interest in the child. . . . No father should be able to escape his responsibility .. .' (National Children's Homes George Thomas Society Lecture, 17 January 1990). A few weeks following that lecture, Kenneth Baker, then Chairman of the Conservative Party, reinforced the point - 'Not only is it just that fathers should contribute to the upkeep of their children: it is also crucial that we begin to break the culture which views it as acceptable for a man to walk away from the consequences of his actions in this way. Ensuring that fathers help support the mothers of their children is one way of doing that' (quoted in Burghes, 1991: 6). Peter Lilley in one of his notorious doggerels to the Conservative Party Conference singled out 'Dads who won't support the kids of ladies ... they have kissed' (7 October 1992).
