Equity Data

Family Support

Percent of Children Under 18 Living in Poverty

Being raised in poverty places children at higher risk for a wide range of problems. There are significant, persistent disparities in the poverty rates of children of different races and ethnicities. Decreasing the number of children living in poverty, focusing particularly on communities where poverty is highly concentrated, would have a dramatic impact on every measure of child well-being.

Data Source

United States Census Bureau. American Community Survey. Poverty status in the past 12 months by sex and age. ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables: 2020. Tables: B17001, B, D, G, H. Accessed at https://data.census.gov/.

Median Family Income

Rising income inequality has been a defining feature of the American economy for nearly four decades. Much work remains to be done to reduce wage disparities by gender and race and to reverse the damage done by decades-long trends of rising inequality and wage stagnation. Advocating for and implementing legislation and policies that increase the wages of families in the St. Louis region will not only improve the well-being of area children, but also strengthen the economic vitality of the region.

Data Source

United States Census Bureau. American Community Survey. Median Family Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars). ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables: 2020. Tables: B19113, B, D, G, H. Accessed at https://data.census.gov/.

Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate captures a point-in-time snapshot of the civilian labor force age 16 and over who were unemployed, were actively seeking employment for the previous four weeks, and were currently available for work. Persistent disparities in unemployment rates exist across ethnic, racial, and gender categories. It is critical, for both children and the broader economy, that we provide families with employment opportunities that allow parents to adequately support all of their families’ needs.

Data Source

Children Living in Alternative Care per 1,000

Alternative care includes foster care (non-relative, kinship, and therapeutic homes), adoptive homes, group homes, residential treatment facilities, hospitals, and independent living. Black and brown children are overrepresented in the child welfare system in general, and the foster care system in particular. This pattern of overrepresentation and disparity raises concerns of implicit and explicit racial bias and issues of equity.

Data Source

Missouri Department of Social Services (Children’s Bureau). Illinois Department of Children & Family Services. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau).

Rate of Child Abuse/Neglect per 1,000

A combination of individual, relational, community, and societal factors contribute to the risk of child abuse and neglect. Black and brown children are overrepresented in the child welfare system. This pattern of overrepresentation and disparity raises concerns of implicit and explicit racial bias and issues of equity.

Data Source

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Children’s Data

Children of Metropolitan St. Louis

A Data Book for the Community

Vision for Children at Risk informs the community with data and information on child well-being in the St. Louis area, builds and drives collaboration and strategic action for children, and advocates for policies and investment in children that support child well-being.