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Childhood Poverty

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Submitted By roncelmer
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RESEARCH/LITERATURE REVIEW OF
ISSUES RELATED TO CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY
_________________________________________________

A PAPER
SUMBITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
FS 5833: FAMILY ECONOMICS
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SCIENCES
TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

BY
SARAH KERAMATI
______________________________________________
DENTON, TEXAS
APRIL 2012

Introduction Over the last few decades, the world has drastically changed, and the effect on the family dynamic has been profound. Today, there are more single parents, dual earner couples, and parents with more than one job living in both rural and urban areas in the United States than at any time in history (Miller, 2007). There is approximately one in five American children who live below the national poverty level (Meyer, Cancian & Nam, 2007). In today’s society, many people live below the poverty line and those numbers continue to increase because of our high unemployment rates. The Census Bureau reported that 12% of Americans live in poverty. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the poverty level in 2009 for a family of four was $22,050. Working parents have no time and their finances are often strained. Welfare reform in the United States may pressure single mothers to be employed even though child care is expensive and they may barely make minimum wage (Miller, 2007). If a child experiences poverty during their preschool or early school years, then they are less likely to graduate from high school (Duncan, Ludwig, & Magnuson, 2007). Poverty is everywhere. It is in every race and every country (Payne, 2005). There are other factors connected to poverty. A child living in poverty is at-risk because he or she may speak another language, be less healthy, or has even been abused. When children are

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