Research Report Children Cared for by Relatives
Subtitle
What Do We Know about Their Well-Being?
Amy Billing, Jennifer Ehrle Macomber, Katherine Kortenkamp
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Children living with relatives fare worse than children living with their parents on most measures of behavioral, emotional, and physical well-being. However, many children living with relatives live in poverty, which also may contribute to their poor well-being. Children in low-income relative care fare worse than low-income children living with their parents in terms of engagement in school; they are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school, and more likely to have a limiting condition, which includes any physical, learning, or mental health condition. However, children in low-income relative care and those in low-income parent care have comparable levels of behavioral and emotional problems, activity involvement, and are equally likely to skip school.
Research Areas Families Social safety net Children and youth Child welfare
Tags Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Economic well-being Child welfare