New Census Data Shows 1.3 Million Children Have Fallen into Poverty Since 2000
Children's Defense Fund:
Washington, DC Since reaching an historic low in 2000, over the last seven years, the number of children living in poverty in the United States has grown by 11.3 percent to approach 13 million, even after a 145,000 child improvement in 2005, according to an analysis by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) of U.S. Census Bureau data released today.
A child's likelihood of being poor has increased by almost 9 percent.
Today's Census Bureau report also showed that, contrary to recent trends, the number and percent of uninsured children increased in 2005.
Children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than other children.
"Poor families and children are being left behind as the benefits of a steadily growing economy fail to trickle down.
The persistently high level of child poverty and lack of health coverage for children reflects conscious and misguided political choices," said Marian Wright Edelman, President and Founder of CDF.
Edelman also pointed out the fact that according to today's report, seven out of every ten poor children in 2005 had at least one parent who is employed.
A CDF analysis of U.S. Commerce Department data finds that the share of national income going to the wages and salaries of employees was lower in 2005 than it has been in any year since the data started being collected in 1929.
