"The 'go-between': low-income children negotiating relationships of money and care with their separated parents

The UK is moving from a centralised administrative child support system to one of private ordering where the state will only intervene under limited circumstances. This requires parents to agree and set up suitable, sustainable arrangements. This has particular implications for children, although the child perspective is often overlooked. This article situates children as active social agents exploring their interactions and negotiations with their separated-parents with regard to money, time and parenting. It argues that policies that do not take into account the agentic child’s experiences and perspectives may fail to address the impact of policy on children’s lives.