The Recession’s Ongoing Impact on America’s Children

The recession continues to take a heavy toll on children and their families. A new First Focus analysis authored by Brookings scholar Julia Isaacs reveals the recession’s continuing effects – often unseen through conventional economic metrics – and finds that smart investments in children’s health and well-being can mitigate harm. Included are state-by-state breakdowns of three key economic indicators of child well-being: the number of children living with an unemployed parent; the number who rely upon the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps); and the number who live in poverty in 2011.