Voices/KIDS COUNT has a new report “Virginia Children in Poverty: 2006-2010”. Growing up in poverty puts children at risk of a host of negative outcomes. Children from poor and low-income families are much more likely to live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty, have significant health problems, start school already behind, attend low-performing schools, experience learning problems and grade retention, be exposed to violence and other trauma, suffer abuse or neglect, develop behavior problems and become delinquent.

As adults, they are more likely to have dropped out of school, have chronic health problems, experience periods of unemployment, make lower wages, be single parents, or have criminal justice involvement. The harmful effects of child poverty are cumulative: the longer the stay in poverty, the greater the risk of negative outcomes.

Read this new report for the latest information about Virginia’s children.

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