2. Low-Income Households 2
Low-Income Households: How it Effects Child Development
“One in seven Canadian children — or 967,000 — live in a low-income household”
(Monsebraaten L, 2013). This number is extremely high and continues to increase. “For all
children to have a strong foundation, they need better access to quality early care and
education, and coordinated health care and support services for their families” (McCarthy
P, 2013). These needs are hard to obtain for a low-income family; research shows coming
from a low-income household can have a negative effect on child development, the services
and programs available for low-income households and the importance of care providers
when it comes to children of low-income households.
“Less than one in five third-graders from low-income families score at or above the
national average in math, reading and science assessments, and only about half maintain a
healthy weight and are in “excellent” or “very good” health”(Chandler MA, 2013). Children
born into low-income households are not only negatively affected cognitively and
physically but also emotionally and socially. McCarthy (2013) states “All children need
nurturing and plentiful opportunities to develop during their crucial first eight years”,
which is hard to provide when struggling with low-income. Cognitively a child could be
affected by low-income households from not being able to afford high quality daycare with
well qualified staff in ratio, and safe and developmentally appropriate materials. Having a
low-income can make it hard to afford a place big enough or by a park for a child to be
active, also, it makes it hard to afford healthy food, if even enough food which will affect the
child’s physical development. Emotional development is affected by low-income because
the parent(s) need to work longer hours or have two jobs so they don’t have time for close
3. Low-Income Households 3
needed interactions with their children, leaving their children feeling abandoned. Low-
income also causes increased levels of stress for parents and usually causes arguments and
fighting between them which can be emotionally hard for the children if noticed. Not
having the money to afford new things for their children or have the time to make play
dates and have the children’s friends over can affect social development.
There are a few services and programs available to help minimize the severity of
low-income affecting child development. One of them is joining a Head Start program:
“The objectives of this program are: to improve the child’s health; aid the child’s
intellectual, social, and emotional development; improve and expand the child’s
ability for self-expression; and help both the enrollees and their families gain
greater confidence and self-respect, and dignity”.(Coastal Plain Area EOA, Inc, 2014)
There are also government programs and services such as The Alberta Child Health Benefit
Plan, The Child Care Subsidy Program, and The Kin Child Care Funding Program.
“The Alberta Child Health Benefit Plan helps low-income Albertans manage their
children’s health care bills by providing free eyeglasses, prescriptions, and dental
visits. The Child Care Subsidy Program helps eligible low- and middle-income
families with the cost of licensed or approved out-of-school child care. The Kin Child
Care Funding Program helps low- and middle-income families pay non-custodial
relatives to care for their children.”(Alberta Committee of citizens with disabilities,
2014)
These are all great services but sadly the reality is that they are not enough to get families
passed the low-income status.
4. Low-Income Households 4
“It's estimated that lower-income children enter kindergarten 12 to 18 months
behind the average child” (Shand M, 2014). This can be and should be mediated by parents,
teachers, and daycare workers: in other words, all caregivers. First of all, caregivers need to
understand the seriousness and importance of the negative effects coming from a low-
income household can have on a child. They need to be educated on the services and help
that are available for low-income families so they can direct the families to them. It is
important for the caregivers to provide responsive and nurturing support for these
children and have patience when dealing with behavioral issues. Extra one-on-one time
with the child may be beneficial to ensure a healthy relationship is formed, provide extra
healthy snacks to these children if they show they are hungry, plan programs so there is
lots of time for active play indoors and outdoors, and have extra indoor and outdoor
clothing available for these children.
Even with the knowledge of low-income households affecting children’s
development negatively, the services available for low-income households and quality care
providers who understand the needs of children from low-income households, this issue
isn’t getting resolved. McCarthy (2013) states “today’s complicated world can strain
families’ ability to ensure their children are receiving all the stimulation and care they need
to develop to their full potential”. Part of this complicated world is explained by Ines Garcia,
48, who has lived in poverty with her four children for 25 years. She says “I’m grateful for
the government help, it’s just that they make it so difficult to get ahead. Every little
improvement here gets wiped out by money they take away somewhere else” (Ines G,
2013). In some cases the parents need to be told that their child shouldn’t have to sacrifice
5. Low-Income Households 5
so that they can have the life they want, they should make sacrifices so their child can have
the life that it deserves. In most cases the reality is that the expense of living these days is
expensive and the parents are doing the best they can with what they have. It’s up to the
government to provide families of low-income with as much funding as possible and
caregivers to provide the best care possible for children of low-income families so their
development isn’t affected as negatively as it could be.
6. Low-Income Households 6
References
Alberta Committee of citizens with disabilities. (2014). Government Programs & Services.
Retrieved February 17, 2014 from http://www.accd.net/online-
resources/government-programs-services
Chandler MA. (2013). Children from poor families lag in cognitive development and other
areas. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/children- from-poor-families-lag-in-
cognitive-development-and-other-areas-report- says/2013/11/03/40e5c3e4-43f4-11e3-
a751-f032898f2dbc_story.html
Coastal Plain Area EOA Inc. (2014). Head Start. Retrieved February 17, 2014 from
http://www.coastalplain.org/head-start-home
Ines G. (2013). ). Child poverty rates in Canada, Ontario remain high. Retrieved February
17, 2014 from
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/11/25/child_poverty_rates_in_canada_on
tario_remain_high.html
McCarthy P. (2013). Children from poor families lag in cognitive development and other
areas. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/children-from-poor-families-lag-in-
cognitive-development-and-other-areas-report- says/2013/11/03/40e5c3e4-43f4-11e3-
a751-f032898f2dbc_story.html
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Monsebraaten L.(2013). Child poverty rates in Canada, Ontario remain high. Retrieved
February 17, 2014 from
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/11/25/child_poverty_rates_in_canada_on
tario_remain_high.html
Shand M. (2014). Early Learning Program Helps Low-Income Kids, Caregivers Succeed.
Retrieved February 18, 2014, from
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2014-01-22/childrens-issues/early-
learning- program-helps-low-income-kids-caregivers-succeed/a36457-
1#sthash.DCp6T74A.dpuf
