What We Learned - Risk and Protective Factors

RISK FACTORS:
•Single parents (Although in suburban and rural areas, the majority of low-income children have married parents). NCCP
•Level of parental education (88% of children in poverty have a parent that has less than a H.S. diploma & over 50% of children have parents that have a H.S. degree) (NCCP)
•At the end of 2009, 14% of all children nationwide lived in families with an unemployed parent. In Illinois, this figure would represent more than 400,000 children (Voice for Illinois Children, 2010).
•Having immigrant parents (58% of children in poverty have parents who are immigrants compared to 35% of children whose parents were born in the U.S.) NCCP
•Children in poverty are at higher risk for severe and chronic economic, academic, and social development hardship (NCCP).

PROTECTIVE FACTORS:
•Children and families that receive support in the form of early education services (i.e. education on parenting skills) are more able to provide for their children. (NCCP)
•Securing child care for working parents (research has shown a positive relationship among child care subsidies with long-term parent employment and financial well-being of parents, NCCP).
•Two things that help move out of poverty and education and relationships with other people (Payne, 2006)
•Four reasons one leaves poverty are: It’s too painful to stay, a vision or goal, a key relationship, or a special talent or skill (Payne, 2006)

For more information:
http://www.voices4kids.org
http://nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html