The annual evaluation of child well-being across Kentucky ranks the Commonwealth 37th in the U.S. The Kids Count data book was released Monday by the Annie E Casey Foundation.
Kentucky Youth Advocates Director Terry Brooks says the overall ranking shows some decline, even though the state exhibited improvement in 11 of 15 measures. “The issue is that other states are doing better more rapidly, so it’s kind of ironic that we actually are continuing to improve, but we’re losing ground because of the progress other states are making,” said Brooks.
Brooks said state resources alone are not the answer, but still critical to make further improvements in child well-being. During difficult financial times with coronavirus in place, the KYA director noted return on investment is critical when lawmakers make decisions. Brooks said investing in kinship families and enactment of a state level refundable earned income tax credit would help.
Brooks added racial disparities create significant challenges. He said 20% of white children in Kentucky live in poverty while that number is more than 40% for African American kids. “So, I’m a kid of color and that means that I have two times the chance of growing up in poverty. Surely no one thinks that’s acceptable,” noted Brooks.
Brooks suggests every state agency collect and analyze data aggregated by race. He argues that kind of information needs to be known before making policy decisions. On the issue of child care, Brooks said another infusion of federal dollars is needed to help child care providers continue to offer services. The KYA director explained the connection between good childcare and employment is key in helping an economy recover.?
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