Association between Low Cognition and Low–income in Rural Pakistani Children

Objective: Numerous studies have concluded relationship of the childhood poverty to the impaired academic performance ultimately contributing to low wages and income in the adult life. Objective of this study was to assess the association between household income and the cognitive potential of children. Methodology: In this cross–sectional study, cognitive potential of 6 to 7 years old children (n=300) from a rural district of Pakistan was assessed through an indicator of the cognitive development called Intelligence Quotient (IQ) or Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) which was calculated by utilizing fourth edition of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI–IV). Data on the sociodemographic profile was collected through mother’s questionnaire. Results: Low cognitive potential or IQ of the rural Pakistani children was found to be associated with the low–income of the household. Conclusion: Early childhood development programmes in Pakistan ought to incorporate cognitive–stimulation strategies designed for the low–income children belonging to the rural place of residence in order to disrupt the transmission of poverty to the next generation. Keywords: poverty, rural, IQ, children, productivity, Pakistan, cognition, low–income, socioeconomic

Uniting the Nation- Rethinking Adversity of the Poor

A root cause of today’s social tensions and divisions rest with poverty. Studies suggest that that individuals who grow up in poverty-stricken families are much more likely to be in poverty during their early adulthood, and the poverty rate in African American children is astoundingly high. This paper adopts data science approaches to identify drivers behind childhood poverty in the United States, and finds that these factors tend to reinforce each other and go hand in hand with poverty. Specifically, common factors are found to be driving childhood poverty, a weak healthcare system, inadequate education resources, lack of public safety infrastructure and insufficient job opportunities. The current social safeguard framework, supported by both the government and private institutions, appears fragmented and lacks the necessary alignment across healthcare, education, public safety and job creation. The study shows that barring a systematic approach to address the drivers of childhood poverty, the poverty problem is unlikely to be fundamentally addressed. Building on these findings, the paper calls for a number of mutually coherent policies, including introducing a more effective financing scheme for the children in poverty, creating an enabling job market environment for the poor, reforming the funding pattern of schools, creating a safe environment for all children, and enhancing health services for those living in poverty.

INFÂNCIA E POBREZA EM CONTEXTOS DE VIDA: A PERSPECTIVA DAS CRIANÇAS

A Infância tem conceito socialmente variável no espaço e no tempo. A infância pobre tende a multifacetar as causas e os contextos que recaem sobre a criança. Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar perspectivas sobre a infância de crianças socialmente vulneráveis do Sul do Brasil por meio de pesquisa qualitativa e exploratória. Com base no método clínico de Piaget, foram entrevistadas 100 crianças com idades entre 8 e 12 anos, matriculados em uma escola pública municipal da cidade de Gurapuava, estado do Paraná, Brasil, participantes do Programa Federal Bolsa Família. Os dados apresentados foram sitematizados, considerando oito categorias sobre a pobreza e suas variáveis. Os dados indicam que apesar dos avanços sociais, cada vez mais crianças e adolescentes são expostas a diferentes situações de vulnerabilidade social tendo como causa a pobreza. Como resultados observou-se que as crianças têm clareza sobre as dificuldades consequentes dessa condição e indicam a necessidade de emprego/trabalho como solução para a pobreza. A família é citada como contexto de proteção ainda que vulnerável. A escola representa contexto de satisfação e proteção. Necessita-se avaliar as políticas públicas para a infância como garantia de melhores condições de vida familiar e oportunidades de superação das diferenças e exclusões sociais, tendo em vista o desnvolvimento humano saudável.Palavras-chave: Infância; Pobreza; Qualidade de vida; Contextos de vida.Childhood and poverty in contexts of life: the perspective of childrenAbstractChildhood has a socially variable concept in space and time. Poor childhood tends to multifacetar the causes and contexts that fall on the child. This study aims to present perspectives on the childhood of socially vulnerable children in the South of Brazil through qualitative and exploratory research. Based on the clinical method of Piaget, 100 children aged 8 to 12 years old were interviewed, enrolled in a municipal public school in the city of Gurapuava, state of Paraná, Brazil, participants in the Federal financial help Program. The data presented were systematized, considering eight categories on poverty and its variables. The data indicate that despite the social advances, more and more children and adolescents are exposed to different situations of social vulnerability as a result of poverty. As results it was observed that children have clarity about the difficulties resulting from this condition and indicate the need a job as a solution to poverty. The family is cited as a protective and vulnerable context. The school represents a context of satisfaction as protection. It is necessary to evaluate public policies for children as a guarantee of better family life and opportunities to overcome social differences and exclusions, in view of healthy human development.Keywords: Childhood; Poverty; Quality of life; Contexts of life.Infancia y pobreza en contextos de vida: la perspectiva de los niñosResumenLa Infancia tiene un concepto socialmente variable en el espacio y en el tiempo. La infancia pobre tiende a multifacar las causas y los contextos que recaen sobre el niño. Este estudio tiene como objetivo presentar perspectivas sobre la infancia de niños socialmente vulnerables del Sur de Brasil por medio de investigación cualitativa y exploratoria. Con base en el método clínico de Piaget, fueron entrevistadas 100 niños de edades entre 8 y 12 años, matriculados en una escuela pública municipal de la ciudad de Gurapuava, estado de Paraná, Brasil, participantes del Programa Federal Bolsa Familia. Los datos presentados fueron catalogados, considerando ocho categorías sobre la pobreza y sus variables. Los datos indican que a pesar de los avances sociales, cada vez más niños y adolescentes están expuestos a diferentes situaciones de vulnerabilidad social teniendo como causa la pobreza. Como resultados se observó que los niños tienen claridad sobre las dificultades consecuentes de esa condición e indican la necesidad de empleo/trabajo como solución a la pobreza. La familia es citada como un contexto de protección y también de vulnerabilidades. La escuela representa un contexto de satisfacción y protección. Se necesita evaluar las políticas públicas para la infancia como garantía de mejores condiciones de vida familiar y oportunidades de superación de las diferencias y exclusiones sociales, teniendo en vista el desarrollo humano sano.Palabras clave: La infancia; La pobreza; Calidad de vida; Contextos de vida.

Tax Equality for Immigrants: The Indispensable Ingredient for Remedying Child Poverty in the United States

Both at the federal and state levels, tax credits have proved effective policy instruments to combat poverty, and they are at the heart of President Biden's massive initiative on childhood poverty. However, about one of every five children suffering poverty in the United States has an unauthorized immigrant parent and thus little or no access to tax credits. That is nearly two million children, and 85 percent of them are US citizens. Achieving historic reductions in childhood poverty thus will be impossible without remedying the eligibility exclusions and bureaucratic impediments that unauthorized immigrants face in the US tax system. All individuals who make money and reside in the United States are obliged to pay federal income taxes via a return filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For unauthorized immigrants and others who do not qualify for a Social Security Number (SSN) that requires an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). In this two-tier system, ITIN filers have the same income tax due as Social Security filers, but they do not receive the same credits. ITIN filers have never been eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and some of their children were excluded from the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the Trump administration's 2017 tax bill. Both credits are highly effective anti-poverty programs, providing immediate relief while also incentivizing work and earnings. The tax credits are the critical policy tool in Biden's American Plan for reducing child poverty, and they would be funded through the budget reconicilation legislation devised by Congressional Democrats in the summer of 2021. As summer drew to a close, ITIN inclusion was beginning to enter the discussion among advocates and legislators about the bill's detailed provisions. But eligibility is not the only barrier. Internal government monitors have repeatedly criticized the IRS for heavy-handed and inefficient practices that have placed undue burdens on ITIN taxpayers and that have hindered compliance with the law. The use of ITINs has plummeted in recent years from a high of 4.6 million returns in 2014 to 2.5 million in 2020. Prompted by the economic losses and the medical toll suffered by unauthorized immigrants during the pandemic and by their newly valued roles as “essential workers,” the federal government and several state governments have taken important steps to lessen the exclusion of ITIN taxpayers. The first federal stimulus package excluded not only ITIN holders but also their family members with SSNs. Congress extended eligibility to members of ITIN households with SSNs for the second and third stimulus checks. Meanwhile, California, Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, Washington, Maine, and Oregon broke with the federal government and made ITIN filers fully eligible for their state EITCs, and as of July 2021 similar measures were under consideration in four other states. Early evidence from California and Colorado suggests that ITIN inclusion could prove a highly effective means of reaching poor children with the benefits of a state EITC. Child poverty can only be attacked successfully if ITIN households receive equal access to federal and state tax credit programs. This can be accomplished if: Congress and state legislatures permit full eligibility for all EITC and CTC programs. Congress mandates reforms to the procedures for getting and keeping an ITIN that have been proposed in multiple reports to Congress by the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an internal monitor at the IRS. Immigrants’ rights advocates and other civil society organizations, with government support, undertake a multi-year campaign to encourage ITIN application and use. The IRS receives funding to support a greatly expanded ITIN program.

Unjust: the health records of youth with personal/family justice involvement in a large pediatric health system

Background Mass incarceration has had an undeniable toll on childhood poverty and inequality, however, little is known about the consequences on pediatric health. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the health of pediatric patients with probable personal or family history involvement with the correctional system. Methods A descriptive study was conducted using electronic health record data of 2.3 million youth (ages 0–21 years) who received care in a large Midwestern hospital-based institution from February 2006–2020. We employed a correctional-related keyword search (e.g. jail, prison, probation, parole) to locate youth with probable personal or family history involvement. Health characteristics were measured as clinician diagnostic codes. Results Two percent of the total pediatric population had a correctional keyword in the medical chart (N = 51,855). This 2% made up 66% of all patients with cannabis-related diagnoses, 52% of all patients with trauma-related diagnoses, 48% of all stress-related diagnoses, 38% of all patients with psychotic disorder diagnoses, and 33% of all suicidal-related disorders within this institution’s electronic health record database – among other highly concerning findings. Conclusions We captured an alarming health profile that warrants further investigation and validation methods to better address the gaps in our clinical understanding of youth with personal or family history involvement with the correctional system. We can do better in identifying, and supporting families affected by the correctional system.

Coaching Childcare Providers to Support Toddlers' Gesture Use With Children Experiencing Early Childhood Poverty

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of an intervention in which childcare providers (CCPs) are coached to support toddlers' gesture use during every day classroom routines. Method This study uses a multiple-baseline across strategies single-case experimental design to examine the impact of a coaching intervention on three CCPs' use of communication strategies with toddlers experiencing early childhood poverty. The CCPs were coached with a systematic framework called Setting the Stage, Observation and Opportunities to Embed, Problem-solving and Planning, Reflection and Review as they learned to implement three strategies to support toddlers' gesture use— modeling gestures with a short phrase, opportunities to gesture, and responding/expanding child gestures . CCPs were coached during book sharing and another classroom routine of their choice. Social validity data on the coaching approach and on the intervention strategies were gathered from postintervention interviews. Results The visual analysis and nonoverlap of all pairs' effect size indicates that the coaching intervention had a functional relation with CCPs' use of modeling gestures and responding/expanding gestures during book sharing, play, and circle time. Social validity data indicate that CCPs found the coaching framework supportive of their learning and feelings of self-efficacy, and that the intervention strategies supported their toddlers' communication. Conclusions The coaching framework was used to increase CCP strategy use during everyday classroom routines with toddlers. CCPs endorsed the coaching approach and the intervention strategies. This study adds to the literature supporting efforts to enhance children's earliest language learning environments. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14044055

The Economic Cost of Poverty Is Enormous

Chapter 11 analyzes the overall economic cost of poverty to the United States. Childhood poverty is estimated to cost the United States approximately $1 trillion a year. This is the result of a loss of economic productivity, higher health expenses, and increased criminal justice costs. It is also estimated that for every dollar spent in reducing poverty, the nation would save up to $12 in reduced expenses. The argument of equality versus efficiency is discussed, and shown to be lacking in strength. High rates of poverty are viewed as leading to greater inequality as well as reducing economic efficiency.