Following a recent report from the Heartland Alliance about the adverse affects of the recession on Illinois children is another report indicating children in Illinois have fared worse during the economic downturn than children in other states.
The newest report, The Recession's Ongoing Impact on American's Children: Indicators of Children's Economic Well-Being Through 2011, from First Focus, looked at how children have fared through the recession and the ongoing consequences of the recession on children. First Focus is a Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan advocacy organization that focuses on making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions.
The report, written by Julia Isaacs, a child and family policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, examined the number of children living with an unemployed parent, the number of those who rely on food stamps and the number who live in poverty.
In Illinois, when compared to children in other states, the likelihood that a child is living with an unemployed is greater and the chance that that parent has been unemployed for six months or more is greater in Illinois than any other state.
Nationally, 2.7 million children lived with an employed parent in 2011, an increased of 71 percent when compared to 2007. Forty-seven percent of children lived with a parent who was unemployed for six months or longer in 2011.
Nationwide, 8 million more children relied on food stamps than in 2007, bringing the total number of children on food stamps to 21 million, or about one in four. More than one in five, or 16 million children live in poverty in the U.S.
"The numbers tell us two critical things: First, the recession continues to hit Illinois' children hard; and second, smart investments in children's health and well-being can mitigate the harm," said First Focus President Bruce Lesley. "Federal resources like the Earned Income Tax Credit, unemployment insurance, Supplemental Security Income and even child support enforcement funding can keep families afloat and protect America's children."
The report noted that a parent's unemployment and poverty have both immediate and long-lasting effects on a child's development. Near-term effects include psychological stress and academic performance, and even increased incidences of abuse and neglect. Lasting consequences include diminished career aspirations and earnings as an adult.
"The economy may have begun its slow recovery, but conditions are not yet improving for children in the most vulnerable families," Isaacs stated.
The entire report is available at www.firstfocus.net/news/children-of-the-recession.
