View Research by Author - Tracy Vericker

Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/TracyVericker

This series examines youth vulnerability and risk-taking behaviors on several outcomes for young adults, using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997 cohort. Notable results suggest youth follow one of four patterns in connecting to the labor market and school in the transition to adulthood: consistently-connected, later-connected, initially-connected, or never-connected. Second generation Latinos make a fairly smooth transition to young adulthood, but are less likely to engage in post-secondary schooling than whites. Youth from low-income families, distressed neighborhoods, and youth with poor mental health engage in relatively higher levels of adolescent risk behaviors and have relatively lower earnings and levels of connectedness in early adulthood.

Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007 looks comprehensively at federal spending and tax expenditures targeted toward infants and toddlers. This appendix details our data sources, the programs we include, and the methodology used to estimate the percentage of federal expenditures that went to infants and toddlers in 2007.

This report examines more than 100 programs through which the federal government spends money on children and calculates the amount spent on children under three. These first time expenditure estimates provide a place to start in gauging the priority the nation places on investing in very young children and in comparing expenditure patterns to researchers’ findings about investments that work. For example, despite extensive child development research underscoring the importance of quality early care and education programs for infants and toddlers, especially those in poverty, just 7 percent of federal funding for children between birth and age 2 went toward these efforts in 2007.

Extensive research shows investing in very young children can help build a strong future workforce, improve children's educational success and health, and potentially reduce some of the social ills that drain the nation’s resources and will. What investments does the United States currently make in infants and toddlers?

Kids' Share 2008, a second annual report, looks comprehensively at trends in federal spending and tax expenditures on children. Key findings suggest that historically children have not been a budget priority. In 2007, this trend continued, as children's spending did not keep pace with GDP growth. Absent a policy change, children's spending will continue to be squeezed in the next decade.

Key Facts: Kids' Share 2008 summarizes findings from the Kids' Share 2008 report, which looks comprehensively at trends in federal spending and tax expenditures on children. Key findings suggest that historically children have not been a budget priority. In 2007, this trend continued, as children's spending did not keep pace with GDP growth. Absent a policy change, children's spending will continue to be squeezed in the next decade.

This study examines employment outcomes for youth who age out of foster care through their middle twenties in three states: California, Minnesota, and North Carolina. The study linked child welfare, Unemployment Insurance (UI), and public assistance administrative data to assess outcomes. Results suggest that youth who age out of foster care continue to experience poor employment outcomes at age 24 and generally follow one of four employment trajectories as they transition to adulthood.

The population of children of immigrants is growing rapidly, as over one fifth of all U.S. children have at least one immigrant parent. Social service systems such as child welfare are encountering large and increasing numbers of these children, but few hard data on the system involvement of children of immigrants exist. The first three briefs in the Identifying Immigrant Families with Child Welfare Systems series provide some of the first data on first-and second- generation Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care in Texas. Overall, Latin American immigrant children and Latin American children of immigrants are underrepresented, while Hispanic children of U.S.-born parents are over-represented in the Texas child welfare system. Key child welfare system experience findings include: Placement type: only 8 percent of Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care are living with relatives compared with 20-28 percent of U.S.-born children (both Hispanic and non-Hispanic). Removal reason: Latin American immigrants are three times more likely to be removed because of sexual abuse than children of U.S.-born parents. Title IV-E eligibility: Only 5 percent of Latin American immigrants in out-of-home care are eligible for Title IV-E reimbursement compared with over half of U.S.-born children.

The population of children of immigrants is growing rapidly, as over one fifth of all U.S. children have at least one immigrant parent. Social service systems such as child welfare are encountering large and increasing numbers of these children, but few hard data on the system involvement of children of immigrants exist. The first three briefs in the Identifying Immigrant Families with Child Welfare Systems series provide some of the first data on first-and second- generation Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care in Texas. Overall, Latin American immigrant children and Latin American children of immigrants are underrepresented, while Hispanic children of U.S.-born parents are over-represented in the Texas child welfare system. Key child welfare system experience findings include: Placement type: only 8 percent of Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care are living with relatives compared with 20-28 percent of U.S.-born children (both Hispanic and non-Hispanic). Removal reason: Latin American immigrants are three times more likely to be removed because of sexual abuse than children of U.S.-born parents. Title IV-E eligibility: Only 5 percent of Latin American immigrants in out-of-home care are eligible for Title IV-E reimbursement compared with over half of U.S.-born children.

The population of children of immigrants is growing rapidly, as over one fifth of all U.S. children have at least one immigrant parent. Social service systems such as child welfare are encountering large and increasing numbers of these children, but few hard data on the system involvement of children of immigrants exist. The first three briefs in the Identifying Immigrant Families with Child Welfare Systems series provide some of the first data on first-and second- generation Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care in Texas. Overall, Latin American immigrant children and Latin American children of immigrants are underrepresented, while Hispanic children of U.S.-born parents are over-represented in the Texas child welfare system. Key child welfare system experience findings include: Placement type: only 8 percent of Latin American immigrant children in out-of-home care are living with relatives compared with 20-28 percent of U.S.-born children (both Hispanic and non-Hispanic). Removal reason: Latin American immigrants are three times more likely to be removed because of sexual abuse than children of U.S.-born parents. Title IV-E eligibility: Only 5 percent of Latin American immigrants in out-of-home care are eligible for Title IV-E reimbursement compared with over half of U.S.-born children.

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