Around 231,000 South Carolina kids live in poverty, a slight improvement since 2016. (Adobe Stock)
Children in South Carolina are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, according to the 2020 Kids Count Data Book, released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The report found mental health is a concern across the country, as children felt pressure from COVID-19.
Bett Williams, chief communications officer for the Children’s Trust of South Carolina, a member of the Kids Count network, said more than 11% of South Carolina children struggle with such challenges.
“We have seen a significantly higher increase in others,” Williams reported. “A 50% increase whereas that national ranking is right around 26%. So we are especially concerned about what is going on with our young people.”
South Carolina ranks 39th among states for child well-being. Williams pointed out there are some bright spots, including improvements in child poverty, which fell from 25% to 21% between 2016 and 2020. The state also saw decreases in children with parents who lack secure employment and children living in households with high housing costs.
The report’s recommendations included expanding access to mental-health providers, especially in schools where kids spend the majority of their days. Williams added policies to help families meet their basic needs are key to children’s well-being.
“Youths that grow up in poverty are 2% or 3% more likely to develop mental-health conditions, more likely than their peers,” Williams explained. “We also want to make sure that they have food, stable housing and safe neighborhoods. Those are all things that are very critical to mental health and wellness.”
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said when examining the data over the past decade, there are encouraging trends.
“Children today have better access to early education,” Boissiere reported. “Children have better access or more access to health insurance. And there’s a tremendous sense of optimism among young people in terms of their ability and their desire to make this country better than it already is.”
Boissiere stressed policymakers should seize on the optimism and enact policies to help all children and young people thrive across the country.
