One in five children live in poverty in US: New report examines effect of poverty on children

A new Social Policy Report from SRCD on Children, Families and Poverty: Definitions, Trends, Emerging Science and Implications for Policy provides an overview of the research evidence on the development of children who live in poverty.

According to the report:

• Poverty's impact on children's education achievements and health results in lower economic productivity in adulthood and higher health care costs.
• Chronic stress associated with living in poverty changes children's responses to everyday challenges in their schools and communities.
• Substandard housing and the physical and social hazards in many poor neighborhoods are detrimental to children's development.

The report also looks at research on U.S. programs and policies related to poverty. According to the report:

• Besides temporary upturns in the economy, it is a collection of public policies that has helped lower child poverty rates.
• Programs that work directly to improve young children's development through high-quality early care and education show positive effects, though often only in the short term.
• Programs that provide cash to families for their economic needs and children's well-being (if they fulfill such requirements as children's school attendance) are showing some positive effects.