Kids Count Data Show Signs of Recession

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual Kids Count Data Book was released yesterday.

Nationally, five of 10 indicators of child well-being improved, (Infant Mortality, Child Deaths, Teen Deaths, Teen Births, the Percent of Teens Not in School and Not High School Graduates); three worsened (Low Birth Weight, Poverty, and Children Living in Single-Parent Homes); and two (percentage of Teens Not In School and Not Working and Families Where No Parent Has a Full-Time Job) could not be ranked due to recent changes in data collection and reporting methods.

Although not listed an indicators of well-being, the authors suggest that unemployment and foreclosure rates should also be taken into account. Nationally, 11% of children had at least one unemployed parent in 2010 and 4% were affected by foreclosure since 2007. The figures in Connecticut were 10% (79,000 children) and 3% (46,000 children), respectively.

(Kids Count indicates mixed bag – OLReporter)

Do you see the effects of unemployed parents and foreclosures on students in your classroom? What else would you suggest as measures of child well-being?