Healthy Generations Videoconference: Childhood Poverty

1. Healthy Generations Videoconference:Childhood Poverty The Effects of Poverty on Child Development Arturo Sesma, Jr. June 3, 2003

2. Physical Health Cognitive Abilities Poverty School Achievement Socioemotional Behavior Risk Behaviors

3. MEDIATORS OUTCOMES Nutrition & Health Physical Health Cognitive Abilities Home Environment School Achievement Poverty Parent-Child Interactions Socioemotional Behavior Neighborhood Conditions Risk Behaviors

4. from McLoyd et al., 1994

5. from Conger et al., 1994

6. from Conger et al., 1994

7. Dynamics of Poverty • Important to understand that there are significant differences in children’s experience of poverty over childhood • Dimensions • Frequency • Timing (at what point in development was the family in poverty?) • Depth of poverty • Duration

8. 15 Year Poverty Experiences of Children Who Were Under 4 in 1968

9. Attempts to Mitigate the Effects of Poverty on Development • Enhance the quality of early childhood experiences • Child care subsidies • Head Start/Early Head Start • 2-Generation Programs • Both parent & child(ren) receive coordinated supports and services • Results thus far are highly variable • Inadequate intensity & scope • Multi-risk nature of poverty

10. Non-Programmatic Approaches • The significance of social cohesion and informal social networks • What is the role of neighbors, youth, and community institutions in contexts of poverty? • How do we harvest the natural power of people who care about their youth and care about their community?