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Challenges Facing Today’s ChildrenGrantmakers for Children, Youth & Families 2012 Annual ConferenceIsabel V. Sawhill
October 10, 2012
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Today’s Children Face Unprecedented Challenges• Nuclear proliferation
and a global war on terror
• Global warming
• Fragmented families
• A mountain of debt
• The need to care for an aging population
Source: “Calvin and Hobbes” by Bill Watterson
3
A comparison of children in the U.S. with children in other rich countries:• Overall child well-being: 18 out of
21
• The U.S. ranks poorly on all 5 measures:
» Health and safety: 21 out of 21
» Family/peer relationships: 20 out of 21
» Behavior and risks: 20 out of 21
» Material well-being: 17 out of 21
» Education: 12 out of 21
Source: UNICEF Report Card No. 7, Child Well-Being in Rich Countries, 2007.
How are Children Doing?
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A Vision for America’s Children• Everyone should
have a shot at the American Dream
• Less advantaged children need special help
5
This Vision Resonates with Public
Opportunity:“Our society should do what is necessary to
make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity”
Inequality:“Do you, yourself, think
of America as divided into haves and have-nots, or
don’t you think of America that way?”
Poverty:“It is the responsibility of the government to take care of people who can’t take care of themselves.”
Source: The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Poll Database, 2009.
Disagree
Agree
No
Yes, Divided
Disagree
Agree
36%
59%
58%
38%
12%
86%
6
Chances of Reaching the Middle Class by Middle Age Vary
7
Benchmarks for Success
8
Percent Succeeding at Each Life Stage by Family’s Income Quintile at Birth
9
Pathways to the Middle Class
10
Likelihood of Reaching Middle Class by Number of Successful Life Stages
11
Recommendations• Need BOTH better policy and
more individual responsibility
• Funding should be tied to evidence of effectiveness
• Better education from pre-K to 12
• More access to college or technical training
• Stronger starts for more children