Reason For Child Poverty

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The Children’s Defense Fund
Everyday children’s’ needs are not met, and they are forced to suffer because they are living under the poverty line. “The United States, with the world’s largest economy, has the shameful distinction of having the second highest relative child poverty rate among 35 industrialized nations “; this is something that is affecting 1 in 5 children being born (Children’s Defense Fund, 2015). Children are not in a place that they can stand up for themselves and fight for the rights that they do not currently have. The adults that are in a position to defend them are also at a disadvantage because, statistically speaking, they probably grew up in the same environment and do not have the assistance to rise above the adversity themselves. With the governments help in passing new laws and providing resources children can be given a better chance in order to succeed as successful adults.
Children that are living in poverty do not have access to the resources that they need in order for their needs to be met. Insurance, health care, transportation, education, childcare, food, clean drinking water, shelter, lawyers, and community programs …show more content…

It is a multitude of different factors that increases the magnitude of poverty. Some adverse variables that affect child poverty are drug use and addiction, mental illness, chronic health conditions, disabilities, and abuse. Adults that suffer from addition spend a great deal of money to maintain the addiction, and are not able to use that money in order to take care of their children. Drug use does not also affect that family, but the community as well. “Each year, drug abuse and addiction cost taxpayers nearly $534 billion in preventable health care, law enforcement, crime, and other costs” (Illinois Status of Children, 2014). That money could be better spent in the education systems for both the children and their caretakers in order to help them out of

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