1. Introduction to Family Studies
Children and Poverty
Introduction to Family Studies

2. Thinking about Poverty
What percentage of the population is poor?
What percentage of children are poor?
What are poor children’s lives like?

3. Terminology Poverty: Income below the federal poverty level (FPL)
$$22,050 per year for a family of four
Low-income: Income below 200 percent of the 2005 federal poverty level (FPL)
$44,100 per year for a family of four
Source:

4. Child Poverty How many children live in poverty?
Children represent a disproportionate share of the poor in the United States
25 percent of the total population, are children in the U.S.
but
35 percent of the poor population are children
In 2011, 21 percent, were poor.

5. Child Poverty Rates in the U.S. from 2006-2010
Source: Kids Count retrieved from

7. Sources for Statistics on Child Poverty

8. Child Poverty varies by race and ethnicity
The poverty rate for children also varies substantially by race and Hispanic origin, as shown in the table below
Children Under 18 Living in Poverty, 2011
All children under 18: 23%
White only, non-Hispanic: 12.5%
Black: 37.4 %
Hispanic: 34.1 %
SOURCE:

9. Child Poverty Rate by Family Structure
Source:

10. Child Poverty, Race/Ethnicity & Family Structure
Latino/a and African American children are disproportionately low income.
Nearly one-half of children living in female-headed families live below poverty
Percentage of children living in low-income families, by race and ethnicity, 2003
Does the percentage of children in low-income families vary by race and ethnicity?
62% of Latino children—8.2 million—live in low-income families.
60% of Black children—6.0 million—live in low-income families.
28% of Asian children—0.8 million—live in low-income families.
26% of White children—10.9 million—live in low-income families.
Although Latino and black children are disproportionately low income, whites comprise the largest group of low-income children.

11. Effects of Poverty on Children
Health
Mortality
Low birth weight
Health problems
Abuse
Educational Outcomes
High drop out rate
Underfunded schools
Effects of poverty on health status:
Mortality
The US rates are higher than any other western industrialized nations.
Poor infants are more likely to die than non-poor infants.
Most often caused by congenital anomalies, preterm birth, low birth weight, and SIDS.
All but congenital abnormalities are found more often in poor infants.
These problems are usually caused by inadequate prenatal care, stress associated with poverty, lack of food, and harmful postnatal environments
For children between 1 and up, deaths are usually due to accidents and illnesses, both of which are more common among the poor.
These death rates are higher in the US than in other industrialized countries.
Low birth weight (less than 5 ½ pounds), preterm birth (prior to 37 weeks), and prenatal growth retardation
All are more common among poor infants.
Health problems
Infectious diseases such as rheumatic fever, meningitis, gastroenteritis, pediatric AIDS, measles, and parasitic diseases are more common among poor children.
Chronic conditions like asthma, anemia, lead poisoning, chronic hunger, vision, and hearing problems are more common as well.
Nonfatal injuries
More common among poor.
Abuse
Higher rates of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and more physical, educational, and emotional neglect for poor children

12. Kidscount website What are poverty rates for Children in New Jersey?

13. There Are No Children Here
The Henry Horner Homes were not always bad
In the 1960s there were groups like girl scouts who met regularly
And the crime rate was lower
But during the 1970s and 1980s drug and gang activity increased

14. There Are No Children Here
The local Chicago government officials and the Chicago Housing Authority never wanted the Henry Horner Homes to be built in the first place
The buildings were not well funded and were not well built
So they never put much money into them, even from the beginning
Later, in the 1980s, findings of a housing authority tour of facilities revealed terrible conditions…rats, filthy, flooded basements
Chicago’s public housing has a history of neglect

15. There Are No Children Here
In Philadelphia, and Newark -- high-rise public housing is being replaced by:
two-story, low density townhouses
Section 8 vouchers
Strategies to increase home ownership:
targeted at low to moderate income who can afford to pay a mortgage, but cannot get together enough $$ for a down payment & closing costs

16. Summary For a rich nation, the U.S. has high rates of child poverty
Children are more likely to be in poverty than adults
Child poverty varies by race and ethnicity
Is this the U.S. we want?
How can we do better as a society and as individuals to fight child poverty?