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Title: Young Children in Deep Poverty: Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Child Well-Being Compared to Other Income Groups

Citation Type: Working Paper

Publication Year: 2020

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Abstract: Among children under age nine, there is wide variation in rates of deep poverty across the states, ranging from 4 percent to 17 percent. Large racial disparities exist nationally and within most states. In the U.S., 5 percent of young white children and 3 percent of Asian American children live in deep poverty, while these percentages are more than double for other racial/ethnic groups of young children: 18 percent of Black children, 15 percent of American Indian and Native Alaskan children, and 11 percent of Hispanic/Latino children under age 9 are in families with incomes below 50 percent of the federal poverty line. For all but a few of the indicators we compared across income groups, children in deep poverty were the most likely to experience early conditions and circumstances that make them vulnerable to future health, development, and learning problems. These indicators include low birth weight, a physical condition or health problem that limits activities, an intellectual disability or developmental delay, participation in early intervention or special education, and less positive behavior. (As mentioned earlier, participation in early intervention and special education may also reduce risks posed by conditions that make children eligible for these programs.) The parents of young children in deep poverty were the most likely to have a mental health condition, to be a single parent, to lack a high school diploma, and to be unemployed. These parents were also the least likely to report that they can count on people in their neighborhood for help when they need it. For some indicators, families in income groups other than deep poverty showed the greatest disadvantage. Young children in poverty were the most likely to be obese. Low-income children were the most likely to lack health insurance, and they also had the highest prevalence of elevated blood lead levels, although percentages did not differ significantly across income groups. Among parents, those in poverty were the most likely to lack health insurance. Although the results suggest less optimal outcomes and family circumstances for poor and low-income children, the recommendations that follow focus on families with young children in deep poverty since indicators for this group suggest exceptional risks to children’s development and life opportunities. These recommendations incorporate income support policies targeting families in deep poverty into a two-generation approach that include investments in direct support for parents’ health and mental health, child birth outcomes, and children’s development. A body of theory and research suggests that policies aimed at promoting work and higher family income alongside the provision of other supports for parent well-being and children’s development can offer benefits for children that are larger than policies that focus solely on adult workforce development or children’s development.26 In addition, the recommendations call for policies that directly promote the integration of these supports so that they provide maximum opportunities for families to thrive.

Url: https://educate.bankstreet.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=gse

Url: https://educate.bankstreet.edu/gse/6

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Authors: Smith, Sheila; Nguyen, Sophie; Granja, Maribel R

Series Title: Graduate School of Education Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

Publication Number: 11-2020

Institution: Bank Street College of Education

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Publisher Location: New York, New York, United States

Data Collections: IPUMS Health Surveys - NHIS

Topics: Poverty and Welfare, Race and Ethnicity

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