Poverty among children in Louisiana is on the rise. The group Agenda for Children says the poverty rate among children in Louisiana is 19% – currently the highest in the country. That’s also far above the national average of 13%. Data and Research Director Teresa Falgoust says economic factors are a major reason behind the spike, especially when it comes to attachments to the labor force.
“Traditionally, a lot of Louisiana kids live in families where adults aren’t able to work year-round, full-time, which has a big impact on income. And there aren’t as many higher-paying jobs in Louisiana as well,” Falgoust explained.
Falgoust says the lack of affordability of child care is another reason why so many kids in Louisiana live in poverty today.
“If parents aren’t able to afford childcare, then they really can’t work full-time year-round. So we know that if we’re able to connect families to those resources, they’re much more likely to be able to engage in the workforce and improve their families’ economic wellbeing,” Falgoust said.
Falgoust says living in poverty will often lead to other adverse effects for kids as they get older, so it’s very important that the cycle of poverty be broken.
“Kids who live in poverty are less likely to do well in school. They’re more likely to have health issues that make them often more likely to have chronic health conditions as adults, etc.,” Falgoust noted.
Agenda for Children says rising prices and the expiration of pandemic-era policies have plunged an additional 80,000 kids into poverty in Louisiana in the last three years.
