Children & Poverty
Over the last decade the rate of children in poverty in Vanderburgh County has remained between 20-25%.
For many of these kids, hunger, trauma, maladaptive behavior, academic struggle, and housing instability are regular experiences.
54%
of Black Youth
Experience Poverty
STATE OF E
Housing Stability
Child Welfare
Economic Capacity
Mental Wellness
Racial Unity
Child Welfare
Childhood circumstances can have an immense effect on a person's ability to flourish in our city.
Vanderburgh County Child Poverty Rate
57%
of EVSC Students Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch
20%
of Vanderburgh County Youth Don't Know Where Their Next Meal is Coming From
Children & Abuse
Vanderburgh County ranks 9th in the state for prevalence of CHINS* cases with 37 in every 1000 children being designated by the court system.
Additionally, the county ranks 4th for amount of children being served in residential, and non-residential facilities for domestic violence.
A couple positives to celebrate are a decrease in reported physical and sexual abuse cases.
*CHINS = Child in need of services
Substantiated Child Abuse & Neglect Cases
Between 2008 and 2017 the number of child neglect cases increased by
43%
in Vanderburgh County.
In 2017 there were
1,314 kids
from Vanderburgh County in Foster Care.
By comparison, Allen County had 1,668 youth in foster care that same year but has about twice the population. St. Joseph County is about 50% larger than Vanderburgh County but only had 896 youth in foster care.
Do you want to join people working together in Foster Care?
Children in Foster Care in Region 16
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From October 2018 to October 2019, the number of children in foster care in Region 16 has declined by
337 kids
Region 16 includes Vanderburgh, Posey, Pike, Warrick, Knox, and Gibson Counties.
Children & Housing
Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement.
Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins and chronic illness (e.g., asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care.
Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety, and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care.
28%
Increase in EVSC Students in unstable housing from 2007-2016
EVSC Students Experiencing Housing Instability
Children & Health
The neighborhood in which a child lives has a significant influence on his or her physical health.
For instance, in 2016 the 47710 and 47713 zip codes contained 62% of Vanderburgh County’s confirmed cases of children under the age of 6 with high blood lead levels. The Vanderburgh County Health Department says that the “damage caused by lead poisoning is permanent and irreversible.”
In 2016
15%
of infants born with very low birth weight were from the 47713 zip code
28%
of infants born with very low birth weight were from the 47711 zip code
18%
Black women represent 15% of babies born with low birth weight and 18% of babies born with very low birth weight. Yet, black woman make up just 9.2% of Vanderburgh County.
Education
Only 79% of EVSC Third Graders passed the I-Read Exam.
After third grade, students read to learn instead of learning to read. If children are unable to read by the end of third grade, the statistical chances of them keeping up decrease significantly. The Children’s Reading Foundation encourages school districts and communities to adopt a 90 percent reading goal for 3rd graders.
83%
Kindergarten
Eligible children enrolled for kindergarten.
22,601
EVSC Students
Of the nearly 29,000 students from K-12th grades, close to 80% enroll at EVSC.
18%
of High School Seniors didn't graduate.
EVSC and Indiana High School Graduation Rates
Early Childhood
Education
73% of 0-5 year olds need high quality early childhood programs.
Our community has made a significant investment in the 13,288 0-5 year olds in Vanderburgh County. In 2018 Vanderburgh County public funding assistance for early childhood programs was $11,424,511. But there is more work to do. For every 200 0-5 year olds, there is 1 high quality early childhood program.
