Report Recommends Support For Young Parents

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kids545454-7

A new report looks at the outcomes of kids who are born to young parents. Researchers from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found 9% of all 18 to 24-year-olds in Michigan — or about 85,000 people — have young children, and those families have about 100,000 kids between them. Alicia Guevara-Warren, Kids Count project director with the Michigan League for Public Policy, tells us one good idea would be to expand access to higher education and training.

“Nearly three in four children in Michigan with young parents are living in families with low incomes. So it really points to economic security as an issue and it’s directly tied into educational attainment.”

The report found only 8% of young parents in Michigan have an associate’s degree or higher, and almost 46% of children with young parents have a mom or dad who is considered “disconnected.” That means unemployed, not in the labor force, and not in school. The authors recommend better funding for adult education and for Section 8 housing, as well as health-care subsidies.