The Kids Count in Michigan Project Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy says this year’s report on child well-being in the state is a mixed bag. Alicia Guevara Warren says fewer children are living in poverty, but the overall number is still high.
Guevara Warren says younger kids and minority children are more likely to be living in poverty, and she says there are troubling numbers in terms of education and abuse and neglect.
Guevara Warren says the League for Public Policy has been examining the issue of abuse and neglect for a few years now. She says most counties in the state are not improving in that area. Guevara Warren says the numbers also show the state lacking in early childhood education.
WestSouthwest Brief with Alicia Guevara Warren
The Michigan League for Public Policy has a series of recommendations for improving the numbers in the Kids Count report. Guevara Warren says the state should update the earned income tax credit. She says it could apply to younger people and to childless adults who are currently not eligible to receive it. Guevara Warren says improving access to affordable high quality childcare and helping people get services through home visiting programs would improve the lives of children and their families in Michigan.
