A Data Report from Action for Children North Carolina

A recent report by Action for Children North Carolina finds that too many Latino children in North Carolina are denied access to health care, high quality education, safety, and family economic security. The report compares the well-being of Latino children with the general child population of the state and considers whether individual indicators of child well-being have worsened or improved for Latino children over the past few years.

The report, Latino Children in North Carolina, finds that Latino children comprise the fastest growing segment of the child population in the state, increasing 34 percent in just three years. Estimates show that in 2005-06, the Latino community contributed more than $9 billion to the state's economy through purchases and taxes — more than 100 times the estimated net cost to the state budget for health care, education and corrections for Latinos. This critical population is helping drive North Carolina's economy.

"Every child has the potential to be an asset to North Carolina," said Barb Bradley, President & CEO of Action for Children. "It is the decisions we make today about what we are willing to invest in our children that will determine whether they all have the opportunity to fulfill that potential."

The report finds that Latino children in North Carolina are more likely than the overall child population of the state to live in poverty or low-income and suffer from food insecurity, even though most Latino children in our state live with parents who work. On average, Latino parents have less education, lower wages and fewer worker protections than white parents.

The report also finds that low-income status and other barriers to health care access mean that a greater percentage of Latino children lack health insurance coverage, a medical home and a regular dental clinic, and fewer Latina mothers receive adequate prenatal care than in the general population.

Latino youth in North Carolina are more likely than the general child population to feel unsafe at school. Latino youth are also more likely to score below "proficient" on end-of-grade tests and eventually drop out of school.

"Children's well-being is largely determined by their families' financial security," says Bradley. "The systems we have in place marginalize many Latino children and families. Seventy-seven percent of Latino children in North Carolina live in immigrant families. But nearly 90 percent of these children are U.S. citizens. These are our children, and they are being denied access to the building blocks of a better future."

"As a state and a society, we have a choice. We can invest now and ensure that all of our children are equipped with the tools they need to build a better North Carolina going forward, or we can divest in children and pay a much higher price down the road."

The report also highlighted protective factors present for many Latino children in North Carolina that can help improve outcomes. The low birthweight and infant mortality rate for Latino babies are lower than those of the general population, and breastfeeding and Safe Sleep practices are prevalent among Latina mothers. Nearly 50 percent of Latinos own their own homes. Latino parents also seem to be engaged in their children's lives - fewer Latino children are home alone after school and more eat dinner regularly with their families than in the general population. Latino adolescents are also more likely to report that they feel good about themselves.