Dear Editor, The Family Court Division in Antigua and Barbuda was created to protect children and uphold parental responsibility. Yet its daily operations tell a different story. Parents who depend on child maintenance orders face systemic failures that place unnecessary hardship on families.

The Maintenance of and Access to Children Act, 2008 makes clear that both parents are legally responsible for the financial support of their children. The Act empowers the court to: Issue maintenance orders to cover food, clothing, schooling, and medical care. Enforce payments through wage attachments or deductions from pensions. Issue warrants or levy distress on property when payments are overdue. Commit parents to prison if they repeatedly fail to obey maintenance orders.

The law gives the Family Court the tools to ensure that children do not suffer when one parent refuses to meet their obligations. Despite the law, custodial parents are left to struggle. Maintenance payments are often late or not made at all. Warrants for non-payment are not consistently issued or enforced. There is no modern tracking system to monitor compliance. Parents who try to get information from the court face unanswered calls or staff who cannot provide updates.

These failures are not minor. They mean children go without food, uniforms, or medical care. Custodial parents are forced to cover all expenses alone, often sinking into debt. The very court tasked with protecting children instead enables neglect through administrative incompetence.

The Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Attorney General, and the Judicial Administration are responsible for ensuring that the law is applied as written. This requires: A digital case-tracking system for maintenance payments and arrears. Automatic enforcement of warrants and attachment orders for missed payments. Training for court staff on the law and their duties. Transparent reporting on how many orders are in arrears and what enforcement actions have been taken.

Every missed payment is more than a number. It means a child’s basic needs are not met. It means a single parent must work multiple jobs or depend on relatives. It means the Family Court is failing in its core mission. The law already exists to protect these children. The problem is not a lack of legal authority — the problem is the failure to enforce it. Until the authorities act, the rights of the most vulnerable will continue to be ignored.