Directions:

First, go to the Young Child Risk Calculator at the National Center for Children in Poverty by this link (http://www.nccp.org/tools/risk/). Complete the Calculator for your particular state, choosing an age range, income level, and one or more risk factors. Take note of your results (you can even choose to take a screen shot of your results) for your post.

Initial Post: In your initial post, discuss your results. Describe the factors you chose for your state. What did you find out? Describe how the risk factors you chose will have an effect on a young child’s development. Does this information come as a surprise to you? If yes, why? If not, why not?

Reply Post: In your reply post, look for a peer who is from a different state or chose different risk factors. Does this information come as a surprise to you? Why or why not? How does this information compare to your state or your results?

There are 666,315 children between 3 and 5 years in Florida. 50% of them live in low-income families.

I chose to examine the risk-factor of Residential Mobility (refers to children in families who have changed residences one or more times in the last 12 months). 19% of children aged 3-5 in Florida experience the risk factor or residential mobility.

I chose to look at this risk factor as Florida is facing a rental crisis. According to a local news source WKMG 6, rental rates have gone up an average of 45.77% from March of 2020 to March of 2023. This is a substantial jump and incomes are not reflecting this cost-of-living increase.

I knew this was a factor in the state of Florida. In working with children for about 15 years in the state of Florida, I have heard plenty about families moving residences. However, I had never put any real thought to the number of children who are impacted by this. It was more of a yes this is a problem thought process. I now have faced the harsh reality of just how many children are impacted by this risk factor. It really saddens me that so many children at this young foundational age do not have a long-term consistent residence.

The stressors created by having to change residences one or more times in 12 months are monumental. The adults and children alike are facing these monumental stressors. This will have a large impact on a child’s development. The child’s social and emotional development could be stunted. A child may feel a loss of safety and security in not knowing where their home is, they may be living in crowded situations such as a shelter or with family and friends, they may be living in a vehicle, facing food insecurities if they do not have a residence to cook in, possible not being able to take all of their belonging with them, it may be difficult to keep up with proper hygiene and clean clothes. If a child does not have this secure sense of self and feel safe; the other areas of development will suffer as well.