Statistics on abused/neglected, foster, homeless and refugee children

  • Most people who abuse or neglect their children are ordinary people whose stressors overwhelm their coping skills (Family Service of the Piedmont).
  • Substance abuse, lack of knowledge of child development, single parenting, isolation, poverty, a history of domestic violence, and many other factors may contribute to the likelihood that a child will be abused (Family Service of the Piedmont).
  • Children who are abused are at a higher risk for crime, substance abuse, dropping out, teen pregnancy and a host of other social ills (Family Service of the Piedmont).
  • The impact of abuse or neglect on children can be profound. The consequences can affect physical, cognitive, psychological and behavioral development for these children, carrying over into adolescence and even adulthood (Office of Child Abuse and Neglect).
  • Children in foster care face many uncertainties and challenges. The experiences they have will have lasting influences on them. Depending on the setting in which children are living during their foster care experience (ex: kinship or relative’s home, family foster homes, group or residential care), a lack of trust, failure to attach and lower academic achievement may be among the difficulties they face (GlobalPost Article).
  • Children experiencing homelessness exhibit higher rates of chronic and acute physical and mental health problems. Among school aged homeless children, 39% have mental health problems, compared to housed children of the same age (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC28492/)
  • Guilford County becomes home to an average of nearly 700 new refugees each year (North Carolina African Services Coalition)
  • The term “refugee” refers to a very specific population of individuals who are fleeing their home country (usually due to conflict in their homeland) and have applied for legal “refugee status” within a country.

Statistics on DIAPER needs (National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers)

  • 0 federal social programs address diaper need
  • $70-$80, average cost of diapers per month, per baby
  • 1 in 3 US families lack enough diapers to keep a baby clean, dry and healthy
  • The poorest 20% of US families spend 14% of after-tax income on diapers.
  • 4 in 5 parents said receiving free diapers has helped them to to work
  • 3 in 5 parents experiencing diaper need have missed work or school

Statistics on BOOK importance

  • Academically, children growing up in homes without books are on average three years behind children in homes with lots of books, even when controlled for other key factors such as income and parents’ education. -M.D.R. Evans
  • A study from New York University examining book deserts found that many children living in high-poverty areas had limited or even no access to children’s books in their neighborhoods.
  • “The less access students have to books, the less able they are to read,” David Quinn, assistant professor of education at the University of Southern California
  • “Research shows the most successful way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print.” Promising Pages