Report: Recession Puts Strain on Children

New statistics demonstrate trickle-down theory of economics: when parents are affected by layoffs, children in East Haven and the rest of the country are adversely impacted.

A trove of data tracks the economic well-being of children both nationally and locally. East Haven children, like those in most other places in the country, were adversely impacted in the past few years.

“The National Kids Count Data Book shows that almost 30 percent of Connecticut children live in families with parents who do not have secure employment.  For these children, the loss of family income could compromise their developmental outcomes,” said Jude Carroll, director of the CT Kids Count Project.

The number of unemployed parents in East Haven was unavailable at this time, but other numbers show the toll the recession has taken in families. In 2007, 576 children in town enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), which was consistent with previous years. In 2009, that number jumped to 996.

In the school cafeteria, 27.2 percent of children qualified for free or reduced-price lunch based on the income of their parents. In 2088, 32.7 percent of children were eligible.

“Connecticut’s overall wealth hides the fact that so many children and families are still suffering from the effects of the recession,” said Jim Horan, executive director of the Connecticut Association for Human Services, a nonprofit organization that administers the Connecticut Kids Count Project, in a statement.  “Connecticut’s unemployment rate is still high at 9.1 percent.”

According to the numbers:

• In the state, 46,000 children lived in families that lost their homes to foreclosure since 2007.
• In 2010, an estimated 79,000 Connecticut children lived in households where there was at least one parent who was unemployed at the time the data were collected. 
• Nationally, the number of children living in low-income families increased by 7 percent to 31 million.
• There were 7.8 million children with at least one unemployed parent in 2010.

Most of the numbers paint a bleak picture, but the report highlights some positive changes that happened from 2006-2009.

• Improvements in the number of low birthweight babies, teen deaths, and teen dropouts;
• No change in the number of teen births and teens who are not in school and unemployed.

Data from throughout the country can be found at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/. The Kids Book is presented by the the Annie E. Casey Foundation.