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As we begin the New Year, I hope that this year finds the world
at peace. And, I hope that that those individuals who have been
living in quiet desperation find a voice.
This section addresses issues which have a significant impact on
the lives of our children. Poverty, abuse, homelessness, mental
health crises, and other critical human issues are, literally, creating
children with disabilities.
Carol Huettig, Ph.D.
Texas Woman's University
Adapted Section Editor
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| If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions
about particular topics, please email one of the following Adapted
PE Section Editors: |
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| Children's Defense Fund Action Council |
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The mission of the Children's
Defense Fund Action Council is to Leave No Child Behind® and
to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start,
a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage into
adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.
Data from the CDFAC:
- An estimated 2.8 million children were reported as suspected
child abuse or neglect cases in 1998 and over 900,000 of them
were confirmed as victims of child abuse and neglect.
- Nationally, only about half of the child abuse and neglect reports
are even investigated and on average only about one-third of these
investigations find child abuse and/or neglect. Of the abused
and neglected children, only about half receive post-investigation
services.
- Twice as many children are victims of neglect --(55%) as are
victims of physical abuse --(25%) Another 12% are recorded as
victims of sexual abuse; and 6% emotional
maltreatment.
- Black and Native American children are significantly over-represented
among abuse and neglect victims — twice their proportion in the
national population.
- Young children are most at risk for being abused and neglected.
Infants represent the largest proportion of victims; almost 40
percent of the victims are under 6 years of age.
- Both child maltreatment and domestic violence occur in an estimated
30% to 60% percent of families where there is some form of family
violence.
Clearly, our children are being victimized. They are, undoubtedly
our most precious resource and must be handled with the utmost care.
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And I saw a new heaven and new
earth,
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away...
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold...
I make all things new.
Revelation, 21
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Questions to Ask, or
Thoughts to Share?
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LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND
Children's Defense Fund
As our country remains involved in war, every educator should take
a moment to remind the members of the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House
of Representatives, and members of our state legislatures that
the children of our country need to be a priority, as well.
Many of the problems that affect our children are directly related
to significant poverty. Many of the children in our country are in
desprate need of our help.
Recent data from the Children's Defense Fund:
- Nationwide, 12.4 million children—more than one in six (17.5%)—lived
below the poverty line.
- Children suffered the highest poverty rate in the District of
Columbia (where 30.9 percent were poor).
- In every state in the nation, children were more likely than
adults to be poor.
- In every state in the nation, the youngest children were the
poorest; among children younger than five, one in five (19.7 percent)
were poor.
- Currently, there are more than 9 million children in the United
States without health care coverage, 5.8 million of whom are eligible
for either CHIP or Medicaid. Close to 90 percent of these uninsured
children have at least one parent who works, but for many of these
families, affordable health coverage is not offered through their
employer.
- In 1999, 7.6% of babies were born at low birthweight [under
5 lbs., 8 oz.],13.2 % of black babies were born at low birthweight,
compared to 6.6% of white babies.
- While one in 10 children and teenagers suffer from significant
mental health and behavioral problems, fewer than one in five
seek help in any given year.
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