I was absolutely disgusted to receive a letter from the Child Maintenance Service yesterday telling me that the government had decided to write off the £8000 outstanding debt owed by my ex husband for child maintenance as they felt it wouldn’t be able to be collected. I know I am not alone in receiving such a letter. I feel that the current system is so wrong as it seems to side with the non resident parent and clearly needs looking at and overhauling to ensure that there is more accountability and responsibility taken by them. At the moment, the message to the non resident parent is drag it out as long as possible and eventually we’ll write it off for you.  This is by no means right or fair. The letter continued with a sentence which told me that ‘if you are content with this...’, I needn’t do anything. How patronising - what peculiar choice of word and who would be happy about this? 
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a personal vendetta against my ex - I am in a fortunate position not to ‘need’ this money. The only reason the amount is so ‘low’ however is because my ex declared himself self employed many years ago, never submitted any paperwork and so the monthly amount was always calculated as the bare minimum. I have had a 14 year battle - he’s been taken to court three times and has been forced to pay via bailiff orders.   
But it’s not only about me and my situation - I know there are many others out there who will rely on this money and who will have had similar struggles or probably worse. It’s about time, the resident parent was backed and supported surely?
I should also add that, in order for me to appeal this, the onus is on me to supply an address for him and his employer’s information. None of which I have. If I was interested in knowing this information about a person who isn’t interested in his own children, I probably wouldn’t be divorced! 
I’ve heard many other similar stories from friends in the last couple of days. Surely it’s about time to make a stand and force a change so that absent parents are held to account to support their offspring. Who’s with me on this?