Chapter 6 Families Living in Poverty Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tots to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door. Emma Lazarus (1883)
by Chelsea Layne
1. Over 15.5 million children in the US are growing up in low income families, of those nearly 9% live in families considered to be in extreme poverty level.
2. The number of children living in poverty increased by 33% between 2000 and 2010
2.1. The poverty rate for infants and toddlers is higher than for any other age group
3. Poverty by Race
3.1. Whites: 13.1% (31,959,000 people)
3.2. Blacks: 27% (10,741,000 people)
3.3. Asians: 12.1% (1,737,000 people)
3.4. Hispanics of any race: 26.7: (13,346,000 people)
4. Poverty and Disability
4.1. 50% of ow-income families are more likely to have a child with disabilities
5. What Poor Means
5.1. Absolute poverty: one does not have the minimum required for basic needs such as food, clothing, and housing (official poverty line)
5.2. Relative poverty: one has less than others in terms of what is typical for most members of that society
5.3. Subjective Poverty: a person feels that he or she does not have enough to get along
6. Poverty and Child Development
6.1. Poverty effects nutrition, substance abuse, maternal depression, exposure to environmental toxins, trauma and/or abuse and the quality of child care which all has a significant impact on early brain development.
7. Supporting Children and Families Living in Poverty
7.1. Support families through informal support networks and relationship based professional commitments for the helping services.
7.2. Help parents feel more efficacious in their abilities to future and care for their children
7.3. Help them develop self-esteem
7.4. Help them become more responsive caregivers
7.5. Help them respond with warmth and affection to their children
7.6. Help them provide stimulating learning activities in the home enviornment
