While the number of Michigan children living in poverty has improved over the last decade, the number of child abuse and neglect cases have dramatically increased, according to this year’s Kids Count Report from the Michigan League for Public Policy.
“As more families are faced with economic hardship because of the public health crisis, because of the economy fall out – these numbers are short to get worst.”
That’s Kelsey Perdue, the Kids Count Project Director. She says the number of confirmed child abuse and neglect cases are up by one third, and in Kent County the number of children living in families under investigation for abuse and neglect has risen by 93% in the last decade.
“Particularly as we consider that more and more families are facing increased hardship, they are experiencing social isolation, and increased stress in that context these numbers are especially alarming and concerning.”
The report’s data also shows staggering numbers around infant mortality and childhood poverty within communities of color that Perdue says need to be considered in future state policy changes.
