The following information was gathered from the The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2018 Kids Count Data Book. The Data Book examines key areas of child well-being and shows the State of Kentucky making strides in family economic well-being, child health coverage, teen births and parental education. Kentucky is building momentum when it comes to improving the lives of children.
Kentucky Children and Families
Hope for Children Foundation brings attention to all of the workers throughout the State of Kentucky who have worked very hard to make a positive difference in the lives of its youth and families. Congratulations to everyone who helped make these wonderful changes for the success of children and their families.
Kentucky Child Poverty Rate
Kentucky’s child poverty rate of 25 percent is a little better than last year’s, it’s still much higher than the national rate of 19 percent. Year after year, we all hear bad news when it comes to economics, maybe a year in which we heard good news can be a catalyst for policies that make a real difference in the homes of families.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation Data Book
The Annie E. Casey Foundation Data Book ranks the Commonwealth 37th among states in overall child well-being. The report also warns of the potential threat posed by a 2020 Census under-count, as the young-child under-count has gotten worse with every census since 1980. It was one million short in 2010. Every state needs an accurate count of their children and adults, since federal and state funds are distributed based upon the population of each state.
Accuracy for the Population Census
Accuracy of taking population census really needs to be improved before 2020 or the lack of the population accuracy will effect families in negative ways. There’s about 4.5 million young children who live in neighborhoods where there’s a high risk of missing kids in the count, and it’s important because the census will inform federal spending for the next decade. We really just have one shot to do this right.
Some 11 percent of Kentucky kids under age five currently live in “hard-to-count” areas. If they are missed, vital programs that help young children thrive could face cuts.
This isn’t about philosophy; it’s not about political persuasions. It’s making sure that each state including Kentucky grabs every federal dollar that we can for the next 10 years. That begins now, as we begin to prepare locally-based strategies to reach out and count everyone in 2020.
Internet Services Expansion Needed
Among its recommendations, the report suggests the government fully fund census outreach and education, and address the digital divide that could limit the participation of people without internet service.
Thank you for reading this information provided through the important annual publication by The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Hope for Children Foundation
