Vermont ranks 10th in country for child well-being
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By Daniel Barlow Vermont Press Bureau - Published: June 12, 2008
MONTPELIER – Vermont ranked 10th in the country for the overall well-being of children, although it improved in only three key areas while experiencing statistical setbacks in six others, according to a new report.
The 2008 Kids Count report, released Wednesday by the Anne E. Casey Foundation, shows Vermont outpacing many other states in key areas of children's well-being, such as having a low teen birth rate and few children without health insurance.
"We are doing well in several important areas," said Beth Burgess, the research coordinator for the nonprofit group Voices for Vermont's Children. "The state is a safe and healthy place to raise a child."
Nationally, the new report shows some improvements in areas of children's health, such as a dip in the high school dropout and child death rates. But officials are worried about drops in four other areas, including children in poverty, children in single parent homes and the rate of low-birth weight babies.
These statistics show a lagging behind since 2000 on the improvements in children's health made during the 1990s, according to the report.
Vermont students in fourth and eighth grades – the two school classifications looked at in the report – generally have better proficiency in reading and math than the national average, according to the report.
The state is also lower than the national average for children in extreme poverty, children in low-income families, children without health insurance and juvenile violent and nonviolent crime.
For example, Vermont's teen birth rate dropped 17 percent in the new report, putting the state second best nationally in that category. That was a drop of about 23 births per 1,000 females ages 15-19 to 19 births per 1,000 females.
The rate of idle teens – those not going to school or working a job – decreased 29 percent, from 7 percent in 2000 to 5 percent in 2006.
Vermont dropped in its ranking in areas such as child death rate and infant mortality rate, including in the former category where reports of children dying increased 100 percent. But experts within and outside of state government warned that finding is statistically insignificant.
"My understanding from the Health Department is that there were some tragedies during the year in question that claimed the lives of some children," said Steve Dale, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Children and Families. "Following the numbers, there is an increase."
Dale said he expected that rate to drop back near where it was in next year's 2009 Kids Count data.
"There is no pattern of a trend here," he said.
Burgess agreed, saying because of the size of Vermont's population, a few incidents over a period can skew data. She said the new child death ranking was statistically insignificant.
"Still, we're not seeing the improvement in these areas that we would like," she said. "Some of these areas are also big concerns for other states as well."
But there are some areas of concern. Vermont saw a 16 percent increase in the number of children living in single-parent homes, jumping from 25 percent in 2000 to 29 percent in 2006, according to the report.
Burgess said there is no harm in that overall, although it could be worrisome because many of those families are likely headed by women, who may earn less than their male counterparts in the workplace.
"There are some economic concerns here," she said. "With only one parent in the household, there is a strong possibility that these families are facing financial hardships."
Vermont also remained static when it came to the rate of child poverty. From 2000 to 2006, that rate remained at 13 percent in the state and newer data released by Voices for Vermont's Children last month showed increases in the number of children in some counties receiving school lunches.
"That is consistent with what is happening in Vermont and the rest of country in terms of the economy," Burgess explained. "The economic security of some families is eroding."
Contact Daniel Barlow at Daniel.Barlow@timesargus.com.
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