KYA | National KIDS COUNT

National KIDS COUNT

Kentucky ranks 40th in overall child well-being in the 2007 National KIDS COUNT Data Book

The 2007 National KIDS COUNT Data Book, released on July 25th by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and KYA, provides a national and state-by-state look at the conditions of America’s children and families. The book ranks states on ten key indicators of child well-being and also provides an overall ranking. Kentucky improved its rank to 40th in the nation but remains three spots below the 2004 ranking.

This year’s essay examines the child welfare system and challenges the country to make lifelong connections for children and youth in foster care a national priority. The essay also focuses on the 726,000 children nationally who spend time in foster care each year and what can be done to build and strengthen family relationships.

Highlights from the 2007 National KIDS COUNT Data Book:

Kentucky posted improvements on 4 of 10 key indicators;
Kentucky outpaced the national improvement on the infant mortality rate, ranking 27th among states;
The Commonwealth's child death rate increased while the national rate decreased.
Kentucky's teen birth rate continued a steady downward trend;
The Commonwealth continues to rank poorly on economic indicators, including 41st for child poverty and 44th for children in families without secure employment; and
Kentucky ranked highest on the percent of children in single-parent families at 26th.

Click here to view the Kentucky press release.

Click here for the Kentucky fact sheet.