In light of January being national poverty awareness month, contemplating how poverty effects our children seems fitting. According to the 2010 US Census, 12.5 percent of families in Los Angeles are living below the poverty level. 45.4 percent of those families have 5 or more children under the age of 18 living under their roof. Further, according to Weingart Center research it is estimated that about 82,000 individuals are homeless on a given night in Los Angeles. A whopping 1.3 million youth are estimated to be homeless as some point in a given year in America. Moreover, there are many families in our community that are living on the verge of poverty, one paycheck away from being homeless. These facts are staggering and the impact of growing up impoverished can be detrimental to a child's development and mental health.
Research has shown that poor children have higher rates of socioemotional, behavioral, and academic problems. Ostensibly, the reasonings for this are clear. Children from poor families obviously have less resources, less support, and fewer opportunities to succeed. Often, these are children of parents who are working two or three jobs to make ends meet, leaving little time for supervision or creating healthy attachments. This can lead to children finding a sense of family through their communities. As this population is poor, they often live in the less safe neighborhoods and since children are sponges, they internalize many of the values they experience around them. The violence and lack of protection of the children in some neighborhoods of Los Angeles heightens the chances of trauma for this population. Trauma can effect children's brain and emotional development, as well as cause children to act out and have difficulty learning, focusing, and controlling their moods. Impoverished children and youth in Los Angeles are simply not given equal chances for success.
So why is it that so many people who come from impoverished backgrounds are able to persevere through adversity? There are many resiliency factors youth exhibit that can be attributed to overcoming the struggles of growing up in poverty. Firstly, individual traits play a major role. Each of us has a unique personality and qualities like positive self-concept, sociability, intelligence, humor, problem solving skills, and academic ability all engender resilience. Secondly, family culture can help a poor child be more successful. Families who have reasonable and clear expectations, participate in traditions and celebrations, share core values, and have a sense of spiritual connection can foster resiliency in their children. Lastly, there are community factors that can increase resiliency in this population. Children who participate in extracurricular activities, attend religious youth groups, and are active in their school communities can build a better sense of self-esteem and belongingness.
Encouraging these resiliency factors in children, families, and communities is imperative. After all, these impoverished children will become adults in our communities. Helping them to become healthy people and positive contributors to our society will not only benefit them, but the community as a whole. Below are some non-profit agencies that work to empower poverty stricken and low income families and children in Los Angeles.
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