RUNNING HEAD: Child Poverty

Becky Browne
DFST 4323
March 28, 2016
Controversial Family Policy

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Child Poverty

Last week in class we discussed the issue of child poverty in the United States
today. We read a few articles explaining statistics and facts concerning the youth of our
world in the 1960s to the youth of today. There are many issues in the world that lead to
child poverty. I would like to discuss those issues in family policy here today. Poverty is a
strong issue in some hearts, but when it comes to children it seems to be on a whole
different level. There are policies set in place that have been around for over sixty years,
but I still feel as if there should be more done in order to help these children and families
in need.
Family Policy has many issues across the board in the United States. There are
issues with race, ethnicity, poverty, divorce, education, marriage, and many more. Child
Poverty seems to be one of the issues that are brought up along with other issues. Poverty
comes from other underlying issues like divorce, drugs, alcohol and the loss of parents
jobs. Poverty does not just happen by itself. Some children are born in to poverty, but that
is because of other issues that came about before they arrived. In Thomas Corbetts article
from the University of Wisconsin, he states that, More than one child in five is now
considered poor, and 40 percent of all the poor are children. (Corbett, 1993) This
statistic is a serious issue that needs to be discussed and figured out in Family Policy. For
the rest of the paragraph, Corbett spoke about the fact that children were more likely to
be in poverty than adults, and even more likely than the elderly. This seems to still be an
issue today, even if it is not as serious.
In the Grannis and Sawhill article on Improving Childrens Life Chances, they talk
about the difference in being born into a well off family versus being born into a poor

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family. The rates of success in the years through life all showed that there was less
success in the poor childrens stats. Statistics show that being born into poverty has given
you a higher risk of staying in poverty through life. There is ample evidence that
children born to poorer families do not succeed at the same rate as children born to the
middle class. (Grannis&Sawhill, 2013) I see this as an issue because everyone should
be given a chance. Just because you were born into something doesnt mean you cant
change your life and become new. I read a verse in the bible last night that read,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone, the new is
here. (Bible) This verse hit home for this issue because it basically says we can do
anything. As long as we forgive our past and ask for help, anyone can move on and
change their lives. Poverty is a huge issue in America and children need help.
There are some policies that exist already in trying to help get children and
families out of poverty. One of the policies talked about in the Child Poverty and Welfare
reform, article is AFDC (Aid to families with dependent children). This policy was set in
place to help families who have responsibilities of children. It is still a categorical
welfare program: categorical in that benefits are tied to having responsibility for a
dependent child; welfare in that benefits decline, or cease altogether, as one's economic
position improves. (Corbett, 1993) This being said, it is the foundation of the welfare
programs for children in poverty. This has been the stepping-stone to all sorts of other
policies set in place to help with poverty. We need to create more jobs for children and
more support for families in need. Many families need help, but are either too
embarrassed to ask for it or have some credentials keeping them from receiving it. It is
almost like Federal Student Aid in some ways. I need help paying for school, but because

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my parents make enough to put food on my table I am not awarded anything. This is an
issue with poverty in some cases as well. Families need help with their children, but if
they have something that seems like enough by the government standards, they are not
awarded anything. I think this needs to change and their needs to be more policies set in
place to help these families out when they are truly in need.
The issue of child poverty is controversial because no one thinks of children and
says its alright to see them starve. Many people in this world have a view of homeless
people being lazy and not willing to work. They see them as a burden to society because
they will not get up and do something with their lives. That is never the thought process
when children are involved though. Children are thought to not have a choice in the
matter. If someone sees a homeless, starving child, all that is in his or her hearts and mind
is sorrow. The fact is though, these starving children in poverty grow up to be the
homeless men and women on the street corner begging for food that everyone looks
down upon. These people are almost given no chance in life and this needs to change.
There needs to be more help for the people who really need it. I feel as if the concerned
person will address this issue differently because it involves children. No matter who you
are, most people have the betterment of our children, our future leaders, as a priority. I
fell approaching this issue would be more head on than curvy roads. Most people would
like to fix this issue.
The Social Genome Model statistics show that success at any individual stage of
life greatly enhances the chance of success at the next stage. (Grannis&Sawhill, 2013)
This model states that if you are willing to try and get some success in life, it is more than

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likely going to help you out in the long run. The model did some research on starting
earlier education for children in poverty to try and get them at the same educational level
of those children born into success. I think this is also something we need to expand on in
order to better the lives of children.
Child poverty has been an issue in the United States, and the world, for quite
some time now. I think bettering the lives of children will benefit so many more people
because it will help with poverty later on in life. Childhood poverty is an issue that will
be around for a while and I look forward to finding and implementing new policies to
help with the issue.

References

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Corbett, T. (spring 1993). Child poverty and welfare reform: Progress or paralysis?
FOCUS, 55(1). Retrieved March 22, 2016.
Grannis, K. S., & Sawhill, I. V. (october 11, 2013). Improving Childrens Life Chances:
Estimates from the Social Genome Model. Brookings.edu. Retrieved March 22,
2016, from http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/10/11-improvingchildrens-life-chances-sawhill-grannis