The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2013 Kids Count Data Book was released yesterday (Monday).
Kids Count is a yearly report that tracks the status of children in the United States.
Chrissy Hauschel, Research Coordinator with Voices for Children in Nebraska, says the report looks at four different areas: economic well-being, education, health and family, and community.
She says Nebraska fared worse this year than in 2012 on all four of the economic well-being indicators.
"We have more children in poverty this year than last year. We have more children whose parents lack secure employment this year. We have more children living in households with a high housing cost. And we have more teens who are not in school and not working.”
Hauschel attributes the poor ranking in economic well-being to the recession.
She says Nebraska is still feeling the effects. Voices for Children uses the Kids Count Data Book to help advocate for Nebraska’s children in the legislature.