Poverty And Its Effects On Children

Poor families are considered as one of the most vulnerable groups in the society since they have only few resources to be utilized in their everyday struggle to survival. Since 4Ps aims in improving the lives of children, Brooks-Gunn and Duncan (1997) studies the effect of poverty on the lives of the children. They found out that children who have experienced poverty in the first stages of their schooling, these children have the greater chances of not completing their

Children living in poverty suffer significantly in education. Having a negative education has long lasting impact on a kid’s life. A poor education affects many other areas in a child’s life. Schools in underfunded communities are under resourced which creates a struggle to meet the learning needs of the children’s full potential. A study showed that in 2008 the dropout rate of students living in low income families was four and a half times greater than the rate of dropouts from higher income families. This limited education makes it much more onerous for poverty-stricken children to elevate themselves out of poverty especially when a large quantity of them are dropping out.

The effects of child care quality on children’ development while living in poverty (Votruba-Drzal, Coley, and Chase-Lansdale, 2004) discussed the drastic increase in the overall number and percentage of children in child care since 1996 events, concluding that high quality care and nurturing environments mediated the negative effects of poverty, especially in relation to internalizing

“Poverty and education are inextricably linked, because people living in poverty may stop going to school so they can work, which leaves them without literacy and numeracy skills they need to further their careers. Their children, in turn, are in a similar situation years later, with little income and few options but to leave school and work” (“Poverty and Education”). The National Center for Children in Poverty sponsored a study that found that in families whose income falls below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Line, scores are far below the national average in reading, math, and general knowledge tests (Jordan). Subsequently, poverty ridden families live within the same neighborhoods and, thus, the surrounding schools follow the trend of not receiving enough money and the inability to facilitate the students with the best teachers and technology to learn.

Child poverty has become one of the most significant ongoing issues in New Zealand. According to the Child Poverty Monitor Technical Report in 2013, one out of four New Zealand children are growing up in poverty and one out of six are growing up without meeting the basic needs such as adequate and nutritious food, health care, adequate clothing and housing. Ten percent of the New Zealand children are at the hardest end of poverty and sixty percent of children living in poverty will likely live this way for most of their childhood (Craig, Reddington, Wicken, Oben, & Simpson, 2013). The child poverty rate in recent years has almost doubled compared to the 1980s, which was about 13% (Boston, 2013). This is not only surprising but also concerning.

In my opinion, one of the serious implications of child poverty is lack of nutrition; growing up in poverty can have a devastating impact on a child’s physical health. Inadequate nutrition can have devastating and enduring impacts on young child’s behavioral and cognitive development, capacity to learn and reproductive health. If so, how the poverty effect the special needs children.

Children who are born into and develop in poverty suffer the consequences associated with poor health which in turn reduces the quality of their learning in schools and prohibits the escape of poverty. Our society often overlooks the fact that poverty exists among many of the children in our public school systems. It is often believed that education is the key to eliminating poverty; however this is hardly close to the truth. By the time students realize the importance of education, the immediate struggle to survive pulls them in the opposite direction. Many children face this dilemma and succumb to the pressure of dropping out (Johnson 418). Those who are born into low-income families experience a multitude of obstacles which prevent them

This essay aims to discuss the relationship between poverty, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and childhood development. While poverty can be directly linked to negative developments in terms of health status it is also indirectly linked to other important factors such as; mental health, physiological wellbeing and education, all of which have major impacts on childhood development which can also be transferred into adulthood. This essay aims to evaluate the literature available on the effects of poverty on childhood development and the complex relationships between the two.

The impacts of poverty on children are wide-reaching and can prompt long-term life struggles, particularly when young people don’t receive a good education. Poverty and education are inseparably connected, on the grounds that people living in poverty may quit school, so they can work instead, which leaves them with a lack of literacy and numeracy skills, which then causes them to not be able to advance in their careers. Their children, thusly are brought up in a comparable circumstance years later, with little income and few options, but to leave school and work. For the students living in poverty that do choose to stay in school have to deal with the poor education offered near their home. Most high-poverty, high minority schools will

Poverty is growing issue in the world, and it has great impact on our most vulnerable population. Children who are born into poverty are automatically placed at a disadvantage going into school. Before they are even in the school system they’re achieving less than their richer counterparts (Morrissey, Hutchison, & Winsler, 2014). The academic achievement gap between students of low income and higher income is staggering, by implementing transportation, meal, therapy programs, as well as developing strong relationships with students, educators can attempt to bridge the gap.

Children who are raised in economically disadvantaged households differ greatly from those who are raised in affluent households. Parents of children in households that struggle financially may rely on their children’s income to help survive. Affluent children are five times more likely to graduate than children in poverty. Low income families face many health problems because they are often unable to afford proper healthcare and vaccinations. Impoverished children face more social challenges than those who are prosperous. There are many drastic differences and negative long term affects to children living in poverty as opposed to those who live in prosperity.

In highly developed countries such as the US, the issue of poverty is overlooked in many cases. Many households, however, suffer from not obtaining adequate water, lighting, food, etc. due to their failure to obtain financial comfort. “Families are considered to be in poverty if their pre-tax income is less than a certain money income threshold that varies by family size and consumption. Of this money, in-kind benefits such as food stamps and earned income tax credit are not included”(D’Aoust R.F.). Being considered underneath this threshold brings about many issues associated with standard of living. Children, especially, from these low-income families face many downfalls, specifically in their educational lives. Due to the heightened effects of poverty, the social and academic well-being of students in American public schools has decreased significantly.

Poverty is an increasing problem in the world that greatly impacts our most vulnerable population. Children who are born into poverty are automatically placed at a disadvantage going into school. Before they are even in the school system they are achieving less than their richer counterparts (Morrissey, Hutchison, & Winsler, 2014). The academic achievement gap between students of low income and higher income is staggering, by implementing solutions that address the needs of transportation and meals as well as offering therapy programs and investing time into building strong relationships with students, educators can attempt to bridge the gap.

The poverty rate in the United States of America is 13.5 percent (University of California, 2017). While on a steady decline, the poverty in America affects people of every race, age, and/or gender. Elementary students and their families are faced with constant hardships from the school, peers and community members. School readiness reflects a child’s ability to succeed both academically and socially in a school environment. It is well documented that poverty decreases a child’s readiness for school through aspects of health, home life, schooling and neighbourhoods. Six poverty-related factors are known to impact child development in general and school readiness in particular. They are the incidence of poverty, the depth of poverty, the duration of poverty, age of poverty, community characteristics and the impact poverty has on the child’s social network.

“The true measure of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children – their health and safety, their material security, their education and socialization, and their sense of being loved, valued, and included in the families and societies into which they are born." UNICEF Report Card 7, 2007