 In the U.S., there is no gender requirement for child support; for example, a father may pay a mother or a mother may pay a father.In addition, where there is joint custody, in which the child has two custodial parents and no non-custodial parents, a custodial parent may be required to pay the other custodial parent.Historically, the right of a child to the support of his or her parents was regulated solely by the separate states, territories, and Indian tribes.