I think the laws in place are good ones in most cases. If a person parents a child they should be financially responsible for it until the age of 18 (or the legal age in your state). Regardless if they are male or female. If the custodial parent can't afford to financially support the child on their own, there are programs in place for providing food, clothing and shelter in most states. However they will want the ss# of the non-custodial parent for compensation if that parent is able to pay. Whether they want to or not is irrelevant, unless they choose to work illegally. But the child will be provided for. If either or both parents are incarcerated or on disability or cannot work I don't think they are forced to if they are living off social programs anyway. But in other cases it used to be that one fourth of a parent's wages were considered fair for the support of one child. The step- parent's wages were not figured in. I don't know how much the custodial parent gets in child support. That would probably vary per case. In any case both parents should get a lawyer even if they are struggling financially they should qualify for legal aid. Well that's how it used to be in America a long time ago. Have the laws changed?