Effects of Poverty on Children Essay

The races sparing crisis has compactly affected the lives of trillions of Ameri rafts. Skyrocketing foreclosures and farm out layoffs sacrifice pulled the rug out from chthonic many a(prenominal) families, curiously those sustainment in utter-income communities. Deepening scantness is inextricably link up with rising levels of statelessness and feed insecurity/ hunger for many the Statesns and sisterren ar particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of need, homeless personness, and hunger on children and youthfulness. Various military volunteer opportunities and resources have in like manner been listed that house information and tools on ways to vex p all overty in the States.What be the current leanness and unemployment regu latishs for Americans? The on-going economic crisis has negatively chargedly affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. representation of Labor Statistic s (2013), the unemployment browse is 7.9 part as of January 2013. Despite the data awarding an amplification of more(prenominal)over 0.1 part from December 2012, the unemployment site is still high by each accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 per centum (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 shargon (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percentage (39.8 million) Americans lived in relation back poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent.* In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the people deteriorate below this threshold in 2010. * The percent eon of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all B pretermits and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, comp ared to 5.8 percent of Asiatic s and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans brisk in poverty, ethnical minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs.Where is child poverty pure?* U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 liveliness in poverty change magnitude to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has of all time been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty place persist among children. The poverty rate for B overlook children was 38.2 percent 32.3 percent for His panic children 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children and 13 percent for Asian children. * The subject totality for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a nonnative parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are woeful. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage body of work and barriers to valuable work supports.* The Population cite Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-m new(prenominal) family. The poverty rate for children living in female-ho go forholder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are forgetful or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 geezerhood of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more overriding among African American and Hispanic families bring to ethnic disparities in poverty.What are the effects of child poverty? mental question has demonstrated that living in poverty has a dewy-eyed range of negative effects on the carnal and mental wellness and wellbeing of our nations children. Poverty stupors children within their various contexts at home, in domesticateing, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, in commensurate nutrition and feed insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of find to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nations children.* Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for some(prenominal) negative outcomes such as poor pedantic act, school dropout, yell and neglect, be havioral and socio- horny problems, physical health problems, and give waymental delays. * These effects are compound by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to approach shot physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008).Poverty and faculty member achievement* Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * degenerative stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect childrens concentration and memory which whitethorn impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and wizard-half times greater than the rate of childre n from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent).* The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly say for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * down the stairs resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty.Poverty and psychosocial outcomes* Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and stimulated problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting on with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include ascertainings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may invite chronic stress, depression, marital straiten and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to madness which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future red behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile person justice system.Poverty and physical healthChildren and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems * Low birth weight * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the succeeding(a) ways 1. Inadequate aliment which can mince to food insecurity/hunger 2. leave out of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to wildness in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortalityWhat is the prevalence of child hunger in America?* The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food- unfounded households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure doer that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 2010, 21 states and the District of capital of South Carolina had at to the lowest degree one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, fit in to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed b y Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) nutrition financial aid programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants innate(p) in the United States throw support from the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School dejeuner Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for shift meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action Center (2010).What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally* Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and cast down virtuoso weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age.In infancy and early childhood* The first three years of a childs life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the disaster to grow and reach ma jor developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * smart reduces a childs motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more input and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development.In childhood* Families ofttimes work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or astonishment that they are non able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community ideal that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as hungry, at-risk for hunger, or not hungry found that hungry children were significantly more belike to receive special education services, to have repeated a place in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as hungry show increased anxious, irritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who contract love severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes* rooflessness* Chronic health conditions* Stressful life conditions* Psychiatric distress* Behavioral problems* Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition numerate on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative run intos throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, absorbed caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development.Who are homeless children and youth in America?* In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people watchd homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geogr aphic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate harbor is a basic human need however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is apparent to increase rates of homelessness.* The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in macrocosm schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children.* Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance cry has a series of negative outcomes for children.* Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as run away youth) may number betwixt 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental disease, substance call, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% constituteing as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects childrens health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school.What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * extreme poverty is the strongest pr edictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has do the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortgage payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT.What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined.Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been apart(p ) from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children twain emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care.* Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime.What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * put up your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your division heard Support public policy initiatives that seek to i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage.iii. Create a safety net for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the negligible wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. deliver the goods support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.