At the end of last year, the U.S. Census Bureau published a report entitled “Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007.”   The report focuses on the child support income that custodial parents reported receiving from noncustodial parents living elsewhere and other types of support, such as health insurance.  Among the findings highlights:

·   More than one-quarter (26.3 percent) of all children under 21 years of age lived with one of their parents, while the other parent lived outside the household.

·   More than one-quarter (24.6 percent) of all custodial parents had incomes below poverty, while18.2 percent of those who received at least some child support payments were below poverty.

·   Custodial parents receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), formerly known as AFDC, fell from 22.0 percent to 4.3 percent during the past 14 years.

·   Child support represented 47.9 percent of the average income for custodial parents below poverty who received full support.

In addition to detail on these facts, the report includes information about poverty rates, employment and participation in government assistance programs and custodial arrangements.  The full report can be accessed at:

http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p60-237.pdf

In a second report released last month by the Michigan League for Human Services, the Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2009 examines county-level trends in child well-being.  This latest report highlights the effect of Michigan’s high unemployment and declining family income on children.  Among the negative trends in the report:

·   Childhood poverty rose by 6 percent between 2005 and 2007, with nearly one in every five children in Michigan living in poverty.

·   The number of students receiving free or reduced-priced lunches rose 14 percent between 2006 and 2008—more than two of every five public school K-12 students now participate in the School Lunch Program at free or reduced prices.

·   Confirmed victims of abuse or neglect jumped 16 percent between 2000 and 2008, with nearly 30,000 children found to be abused or neglected in 2008.

Yet, despite these negative findings, there were some positive trends:

·   Childhood deaths dropped 18 percent, teen deaths fell by 11 percent and infant mortality declined 4 percent between 2000 and 2007. 

·   Births to teens declined 20 percent over the decade.

·   In education, the share of students not considered proficient in math improved between 2003 and 2008 – 65 percent improvement for fourth- graders and 47 percent for eighth-graders.

·   The rate of high school dropouts also declined, by 6 percent, between 2007 and 2008.

To see the entire report, go to:

http://www.milhs.org/information/default.asp?NavPageID=35879#i_325511