FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota ranks first in the U.S. when it comes to economic stability for children, according to an annual report measuring child wellbeing.

But policy experts worry the pandemic has set some families back, while other indicators don't fare as well.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation issued its annual Kids Count Data Book this week, which analyzes how states stack up in areas such as education, health, and economic factors for families with children.

The report, which mostly includes 2019 data, noted North Dakota had only 18,000 kids living in poverty.

Xanna Burg, KIDS COUNT coordinator for North Dakota, said, however, racial gaps persist.

"And unfortunately, children of color are more likely to live in poverty," Burg observed. "And so, if we base the ranking instead on the wellbeing of children of color, North Dakota would fall toward the bottom."

The report does include some post-COVID data from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey. At one point during the pandemic, 16% of North Dakota households with children were unsure they could pay their next rent or mortgage payment.

As for education, the state ranked 31st, with two-thirds of fourth-graders not reading at grade level, the same as a decade ago.

And while some impact from the pandemic became less of a factor going into 2021, the report's authors pointed out it will take time to know the full weight of the crisis.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Foundation, added childhood poverty has an effect that can last for decades.

"We know that children who grow up in poverty have lower health outcomes," Boissiere explained. "They live in substandard housing that has issues like mold and lead that go untreated. Lower-income families live in poorer neighborhoods that have poorer-resourced schools, so their education outcomes tend to be worse."

She noted the expansion of the Child Tax Credit under the American Rescue Plan will boost struggling families, as it provides monthly payments starting in July.

But the expansion is only a temporary hike, and there are calls for Congress to make the expansion permanent. At the state level, the Foundation recommends North Dakota boost its minimum wage, and to make stronger investments in early childhood education.

CORRECTION: Monthly amounts of the expanded Child Tax Credits were $250 (ages 0 to 5) to $300 (ages 6 to 17). An earlier version of this story had the incorrect amounts.. (12:40 p.m. MDT, Nov. 30, 2022)

A group of U.S. House members said Congress should not pass corporate tax breaks unless it also expands tax credits for families.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., penned a letter, signed by 57 other Democratic House members, to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, opposing tax cuts for businesses if an expansion of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit isn't also included.

An expanded Child Tax Credit during the pandemic expired last year, after helping pull millions of families out of poverty.

April Messenger, director of family engagement and advocacy for the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP, argued Congress should consider the greater good.

"When you think about the big businesses getting tax breaks, where's the relief for the families who are struggling day to day to put food on their tables?" Messenger asked. "We have to think about everybody, on both ends of the spectrum."

When it was in effect, the expanded Child Tax Credit provided monthly payments of $250 to $300 per child to families, depending on the child's age. Without the expanded program, an estimated 324,000 kids in Washington state are missing out the full Child Tax Credit. Opponents in Congress say the program contributed to inflation.

Inflation is now one major factor squeezing families. But Messenger, who works with low-income families, said an expanded tax credit would help. She pointed out families used the money not for frivolous things, but to pay off debt and for basic needs. In some cases, she added, it meant families not having to choose between rent and child care.

"Just that little bit of knowing that there was some hope at the end of the month, or coming in the mailbox, really gave people an inspiration to do things like plan ahead and make some financial decisions to help get themselves out of poverty," Messenger explained.

The expanded Child Tax Credit has become a priority for some Democrats as Congress enters its end-of-year negotiations and before Republicans take control of the House in 2023.

National Adoption Month comes to an end today, but in Tennessee, more than 9,000 children are in foster care and waiting for new families through adoption.

A nonprofit organization is working to equip children and change their experience and outcomes.

Carmen Brown, communications and marketing manager for Tennessee Kids Belong, said it starts with a family recruitment initiative, called the "I Belong Project." Children are the topics of videos presented to an online community interested in adoption. Brown pointed out 30 children were featured during the 30 days of November.

"But we also share these throughout the year," Brown explained. "Through our 'I Belong Project,' we have actually filmed over 700 children in the state of Tennessee, and we have a 55% rate of adoption if we film the child."

Brown added Tennessee Kids Belong is part of America's Kids Belong, a national nonprofit focused on three key areas of the adoption process: family recruitment, community engagement and coalition building.

At the start of the pandemic, Brown noted the number of children being placed into foster care went down, in part because fewer issues of neglect or abuse were spotted by caring adults when kids were not in school or daycare, or at doctor visits. But she emphasized the numbers are on the increase again.

Brown added their goal is to have more homes waiting for kids, than kids waiting for homes.

"We are always focused on the approximately 400 children that are eligible for adoption," Brown stressed. "Out of those 10,000, about 300 to 400 are always eligible for permanent placement. And that is where we are rallying families to open their homes and to adopt the children that need to be placed with a family."

Brown stated some misconceptions around adoption include the idea some children are not adoptable, or adoptive parents have to be "perfect." She added they never expect perfection from parents and children just need a loving home.

"We encourage anyone who has a pull at their heartstrings, anyone who has an extra bedroom, anyone who has a love of animals and can also give that love to a child," Brown said. "Anybody can be a foster parent and provide a safe and loving environment."

Brown noted there is also an app, called "Foster Friendly." It is free and lists more 450 businesses in Tennessee offering discounts on goods and services to foster families.

The Arizona New Parent Guide is a resource that is intended to help new parents meet the challenges of having a baby and support their baby's health and development within the first year of life. The guide is available fully online and in Spanish, and was put together by Arizona's early childhood agency First Things First, which saw a need for it to be digitized.

Kat Willard, senior director of family support and literacy for First Things First, said parents in Arizona need a centralized place to go for a wide-variety of information that is quick and reliable.

"Today's new parents are including Generation Z, which has never known a world without the internet or the cell phone. And First Things First did some field studies, and they realized that most knew parents are gathering information from the internet or from friends or family members, Willard said.

Willard said with so much information out there, new parents can struggle in determining what information is valid. Along with providing reputable information from area experts, the guide also provides Arizona parents with a diverse set of resources and support. From knowing who to call if someone needs help installing a car seat to inquiring about child care to meet their needs.

Willard said the resources in the guide are available statewide so it is applicable to all Arizona families. While the guide's target audience is first-time parents, she said it also is great for second- or third-time parents who may have forgotten some of the newborn or infancy phases. First Things First has prioritized having materials available in Spanish and understands that for a state like Arizona, it is key.

"It is so important for information to be available in Spanish. If we aren't including information in Spanish, we are missing so much of our population," she said.

Willard encourages soon-to-be parents to prepare as much as they can before their baby arrives, and hopes parents will use this resource to do just that.


get more stories like this via email