National Kids Count Data Shows Childhood Poverty On The Rise
(Baltimore, MD) -- A new national report card on child well-being shows the economic downturn is taking a toll on kids. However, data released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows improvements in five key areas including teen birth rates, child death rates and infant mortality. The 2010 Kids Count Data Book gives New Hampshire, Minnesota and Vermont the highest marks across all child well-being categories. Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi rank the lowest. The annual survey looks at ten measures to evaluate how children are doing as far as health, education and safety. Based on the current trend, experts at the Casey Foundation make one troubling prediction. They say the child poverty rate could climb above 20 percent. |