Author Dr. Robert Saul

Raising Young Citizens in the Age of Columbine

Poverty and children – II. Action

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In my previous article, I noted many of the harmful aspects of poverty on children, emphasizing that poverty can be considered an environmental toxin that affects children in the short-term and the long-term.1  If that is the case, why don’t we treat this toxin more seriously?  Why don’t we devote the necessary resources to bring about effective change?

 

I highlighted three devoted public servants who have spent tireless efforts to make such a difference.  Now it is our turn as citizens and child advocates to take some direction and push an aggressive agenda toward change.  It will be hard in today’s current political climate that, in my estimation, sees children as innocent pawns in a perverted power play to promote an agenda that maximizes wealth for some and easily pushes aside those of us that need our compassion and understanding.  I do not see my words as those of a disgruntled voter but rather I see my words as reflecting my lifelong devotion to making a difference for children and families – all children and families.  It is too easy to just support one’s “tribe” and push aside those who are not alike or even reflect different cultures.  Our democratic society is NOT based on such actions.  It is based on inclusion and understanding that our differences are far less than we perceive, and our differences actually constitute our strengths.  I unfortunately see the “anti-woke” wave as a devious way to not address the issues of poverty and systemic inequality and is so antithetical to the purported Christian ethic cited by its proponents.2

The American Academy of Pediatrics has long taken an active stance on addressing poverty in childhood, drafting policy statements and technical documents to drive policy decisions.  Their most recent statement (drafted in 2016 and reaffirmed in 2021) is currently under revision again.3 Suffice it to say, that the basic issues mentioned below are still pertinent today and are even more dramatic after we have emerged out of the COVID pandemic.  And a reminder – in addition to the specific items mentioned, let’s please remember that our goal to eradicate poverty is not some form of income balance but a restoration of justice for those in need.  I cannot quote Bryan Stevenson enough – the opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice. 

Actions to be implemented for children and families to address poverty –

  • Financial measures –
    • Earned income tax credit – a federal tax credit for low income families
    • Child tax credit – for some families that pay payroll taxes but owe no tax
    • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) – federal money to states for specific work and family support programs
    • Fair minimum wage – the current minimum federal wage of $7.25/hr is appalling and doesn’t come close to exceeding the federal poverty level. Two parents employed at minimum wage would gross $30,160/yr and remember that the 2025 federal poverty level for a family of 4 is $32,150.
  • Health care –
    • Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – these programs have provided substantial assistance but still fall short of the necessary health care elements (primary care, specialty care, dental, mental health, substance abuse, and more) that uninsured folks deserve. Health care should not be a privilege but a fundamental right.  We have let our health care system ignore our responsibilities to each other.
  • Early childhood education –
    • Early Head Start and Head Start – two programs to fill gaps for low-income families that need assistance for childcare and enhanced opportunities
    • 4-K Kindergarten – many school districts are embracing early kindergarten as a way to improve school readiness. Strong evidence exists to support such measures as cost effective, yielding returns of $2 to 18 saved for each dollar spent.
  • Nutrition –
    • WIC – Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) supplemental nutritional support is crucial for many families prior to conception and up to 5 years of age. WIC programs strongly encourage breastfeeding, the optimal nutritional source for infants.
    • SNAP – Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (formerly food stamps) fills many gaps for extremely needy families.
    • School lunch programs – adequate nutrition during the school day and often at the beginning of the school day can greatly assist children in their learning and provide for a meal that the family might not be able to afford.
  • Home Visiting –
    • Maternal, Infant, and Early Child Home Visiting (MIECHV) program – home visiting programs can have a dramatic effect for families needing assistance at so many levels. Like the early education programs, the return on investment far exceeds the money spent (~$5 saved/dollar spent).
  • Family and parenting support –
    • Childhood support for children and families – a variety of programs to identify and support the multiple needs of families can provide significant assistance. This assistance can ameliorate some of the negative effects of poverty and again have been shown to save money (~$8 saved/dollar spent).
    • Children grow up to be adolescents and support will need to continue if they continue in a meager subsistence way.
    • Poverty is not a problem for only one generation and indeed requires a 2-generation approach. Such an approach requires a broad understanding of putting the multiple issues into a comprehensive solution.

The list above is by no means complete and does not include specific recommendations to be implemented.  I have purposely painted a broad brush since actual recommendations go far beyond the scope of this article.  The categories above – financial, health care, early education, nutrition, home visitation, family and parenting support – serve to demonstrate the breadth of care needed to start to make a difference in this problem

Some might say that all of these programs sound like “socialism.”  Or they might say that people can just pull themselves up by their bootstraps.  I say, “Hogwash!”  Those critiques imply that the way out of poverty is just a financial one.  Again, I return to the reality that poverty affects so many facets of one’s life.

Life in our society is too complex to just correct severe deficits on one’s own.  I have seen and cared for children and families over the last 50 years living in the throes of poverty.  They are just as loving and caring as families with financial means…but they are lacking in so many ways that severely impair their chances to improve their lives.  Our job as fellow citizens is to work together on that journey.

Those of us with means did not get there on our own.  We had the help of so many people and things along the way.  To deny the latter is to presume that we are the chosen ones and others have not been chosen and can be left to fend to themselves.

Let me summarize these two articles on childhood poverty –

  • Poverty is a toxin to children and families.
  • The effects of poverty are widespread and involve so many facets of life.
  • The effects of poverty are protean and more often than not related to injustice.4 Those injustices include (but are not limited to) housing, hunger, health care, transportation, climate change, environment, education, legal representation, and voting.
  • There are tangible actions (noted above) that we can take to tackle poverty and its effects.
  • These actions require a multi-dimensional approach with a willingness to help our fellow citizens and a recognition that we are all in this together. To tacitly assume that some are chosen and some are not chosen is to assume a level of superiority not a part of the American ethos, at least not the ethos established at our founding.  Is “all men are created equal” really at the core of who we are, or do we choose to rationalize something different?  The acceptance of poverty implies the latter.
  • The actions above are difficult but doable if we have the resolve. Poverty is not a given but a choice of a society that lacks the fervent resolve to change.
  • These actions are difficult but even more difficult when our national and often state leadership does not recognize the problems, let alone consider any of the solutions possible.

For the sake of our children and their families, we cannot let the toxin of poverty continue to be a pervasive stain on our society and our democracy.  We should do better.  We can do better.  And with the proper resolve and determination, we will do better.

  1. https://mychildrenschildren.com/poverty-and-children-i/
  2. https://mychildrenschildren.com/woke-im-in/
  3. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/137/4/e20160339/81482/Poverty-and-Child-Health-in-the-United-States
  4. https://mychildrenschildren.com/the-injustices-of-poverty/