Hispanic Children at a Glance

AP on Yahoo ^ | 7/20/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

A new government report measuring the well-being of children in 25 categories found:

_The number of children living in poverty increased slightly. In 2003, 18 percent of all children lived in poverty. The percentage of white children living in poverty was 10 percent, compared with 34 percent for black children and 30 percent for Hispanic children.

_The percentage of children who are overweight climbed to 16 percent. The rate for white children ages 12-18 was 12.9 percent; for black children, 21.8 percent; for Hispanic children, 24.6 percent.

_The percentage of children who smoke cigarettes daily dropped slightly in 2003 to 15.6 percent. The rate was 18.3 percent for white 12th graders, 5.2 percent for blacks and 8.2 percent for Hispanics.

_The percentage of infants born of low birthweight — less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces — climbed to 7.9 percent in 2003. The rate was 7 percent for whites, 13.5 percent for blacks, and 6.7 percent for Hispanics.

_The percentage of children ages 3-5 who were read to every day in the last week by a family member increased slightly to 57.5 percent in 2001. The percentage of children read to was 64.2 percent for whites, 47.3 percent for blacks and 41.8 percent for Hispanics.

The percentage of children ages 3-5 enrolled in early childhood care and education programs dropped slightly to 56.4 percent in 2001. The enrollment rate was 59.1 percent for whites, 63.1 percent for blacks and 39.9 percent for Hispanics.

Source: America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2005.

___

On the Net:

America's Children report: http://extranet.nichd.nih.gov/childstats/

[bayourod]

"The percentage of children ages 3-5 enrolled in early childhood care and education programs dropped slightly to 56.4 percent in 2001. The enrollment rate was 59.1 percent for whites, 63.1 percent for blacks and 39.9 percent for Hispanics. "

Head start child care centers are very common in black areas of Houston but not Hispanic areas. Individuals apply for a grant to start one.

We also have a local NCI program that pays for childcare for poor children. They pay for five days a week even though the child only attends one day a week. No missed revenue for sick days, holidays, vacations etc..

Then there is the "food program" that pays so much for each child in poverty. Once a certain percent of the children are enrolled in the food program, the program pays for the food for all children at the center, regardless of the income of the parents. (The center continues to charge the parents the same amount even after the food program picks up the food cost)

Smart operators in poor areas follow school buses dropping kids off and talk the parents into allowing them to enroll the kids in their centers. By picking them up early in the morning and keeping them after school later, they can get up to five meals per day paid for.

There are some big bucks in child care centers in very poor areas. There just don't seem to be many Hispanic operators working the system.