Listen to thisFor the past 17 years, the Kern County Network for Children has published the Kern County Report Card, a compilation of the most current data available relative to the well being of Kern County children and their families.
While the data can be complex, the purpose of the Report Card is simple.
With greater knowledge and understanding about the conditions of our children, our community has a solid footing to foster change. In other words, if we know what is broken, we can work collaboratively and take action to move forward in a positive direction.
The 2015 edition is out today, and while it is clear that we are making strides as a community to ensure that our youth are well taken care of, it is also evident that there is still much work to be done. Among the most positive highlights are in the area of child health and safety. This year’s report demonstrates the fact that the rate of substantiated child abuse/neglect in Kern County fell for the 6th straight year.
Moreover, fewer kids are living in foster care, more expecting mothers are receiving prenatal care during their first trimester, school kids are generally healthier than in past years and teen birth rates are at historic lows. On the education front, more Kern County high school students are staying in school as graduation rates have increased and the high school dropout rate has declined for the 4th consecutive year.
Kern County’s public high school graduates are also completing more courses required for University of California and/or California State University entrance. While indicators of child well being in the areas of education, health and safety have improved, indicators of child economic well being continue to be of concern and many families still face economic hardship and insecurity.
Data from the Report Card show Kern County has made some improvements in reducing rates of unemployment and poverty in recent years. However, the negative impact of the Great Recession remains evident and too many Kern County families raising children struggle to earn the income needed to support basic family and personal needs. For instance, more than 77,000 children in Kern County – 31 percent of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level ($23,550 a year for a family of four).
Yet, while Kern County’s child poverty rate has declined steadily since 2012, it is still six points higher than it was at the start of the Great Recession in 2007. Unemployment from Kern’s oil and agricultural industries caused by plunging oil prices and the state drought will likely hamper the county’s economic recovery, causing many Kern County children to slip in and out of poverty as family circumstances change.
This is unwelcome news considering research shows that poverty threatens every aspect of a child’s welfare including physical and emotional health and his/her ability to learn. While considerable challenges lie ahead of us, today we should reflect and be proud of how far we have come. As we embark on another year of progress, I would like to personally thank the countless dedicated agencies, nonprofits, committed parents, educators and community members who work every day to keep our kids safe, healthy and educated. It is their tireless advocacy and commitment to collaboration that our continued improvement can be attributed to.
But we mustn’t let up. We must remain diligent in our efforts. We must commit to doing everything we can to ensure our Kern County children are given their very best chance to thrive. It is my hope that the facts and figures within this year’s Report Card are not only informative, but also prompts even greater community action.
At the end of the day, when our children are successful, we all benefit.
Tom Corson is executive director of the Kern County Network for Children. Community Voices is an expanded commentary of 650 to 700 words. The Californian reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and clarity.
Read it yourself:
The 2015 Kern County Report Card is available online at
