Children and Families in Need
Young children remain among the most vulnerable members of our society. Here in Hartford, almost a third of our children live in poverty, making it difficult to just survive – never mind thrive. Learn more and lend a helping hand!
Introduction
Children today are facing more issues than ever before. Child poverty is increasing, with 13 million American children considered poor in 2006; 200,000 of them are homeless on the streets almost every night. The family structure is constantly changing, creating difficult environments for children and their families. The problems facing children and families in need are right next door and all across the world.
Exploring the Needs of Children & Families on the Local Scene
Children and families in need are dealing with issues concerning healthcare, race, unemployment, immigration, divorce, war, childhood slavery, poverty and education. In 2005, according to the United States Census report, 8.3 million children are without healthcare; the proportion of children without healthcare rose to 11.4% in 2006. This leaves many families struggling to keep their children healthy and safe.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Social Security are two programs that help families in need. TANF provides monthly cash assistant to low-income families with the intent of transitioning families out of the program. More children benefit from Social Security payments than from TANF. The NCCP reports that Social Security keeps one million children out of poverty each year.
Immigration into the United States is often a difficult transition for families. Finding support and the appropriate resources can be challenging. Immigrants are more likely to receive low wages and are “less likely to benefit from government work supports,” according to the National Center of Children in Poverty (NCCP). Minority families also appear to be more “in need”: in Connecticut, 2 in 7 black children were poor for the year of 2005; 3 in 10 Hispanic children were poor, while only 1 in 13 white, non-Latino children were poor.
Family finances and education are strongly related. In Connecticut, 82% of low income families have parents without a high school degree, according to the NCCP. Children in low income families are less likely to succeed in school and more likely to drop out before graduating themselves, perpetuating the cycle of poverty that keeps children and families in need.
In Connecticut, there are 838,788 children, and 86,736 of them are poor. Connecticut has the second lowest percentage of poor children in the country. The story is much different, however, when we look at Hartford. “In 2006…Hartford (at 43.4 percent) had the sixth-highest child poverty rate in the nation among cities with populations exceeding 100,000.” In one of the wealthiest states in the country, it is astonishing that there is such high poverty in the capitol.
From Local to Global
Poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS are the biggest threats to a child’s life according to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). HIV/AIDS affects 640,000 children under the age of 15 worldwide each year. HIV/AIDS produces millions of orphans, with war and conflict doing the same. War has disrupted the lives of far too many children. Over the past decade over 2 million children have died as a result of armed conflict. This doesn’t include the 6 million children that have been permanently disabled or severely injured, or the 1 million children that have been orphaned as a result of armed conflict.
While the children in the United States may not be dealing with war in their directly, violence and crime are issues everywhere. Children experience violence in their schools and homes, often from those that should be considered role models. Our children are being affected by this violence as it becomes more of a norm in today’s society.
There are children and families in need almost anywhere one looks – in our cities and towns, in our state and nation, and throughout the world.
Responding
Connecting the family to the community and providing local support are two of the most important steps to helping children and families in need. Working with area youth offers another way to get connected. Areas hungry for volunteer assistance include mentoring, tutoring, youth organizations, and alcohol and drug prevention.
Parenting classes and adult education are great ways to instill the knowledge and love of learning in parents who will consequently inspire their children. Children often follow in the footsteps of their parents, so when we look at issues concerning children we must also help the parents.
Hands on Hartford offers many ways to get involved with the issue of children and families in need. Check the project calendar to find a service opportunity that fits your schedule and interest.
Resources
The above information was taken from the following sources. Click on the links to learn more: Hands On Network, www.childrensdefense.org, www.unicef.org, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (article), National Center for Children in Poverty , U.S. Department of Education.
