Alabama was ranked 39th for overall child wellbeing in the U.S. in the 2024 Kids Count Data Book that was published this week.

While the state has remained stagnant since 2023 across several factors, like children without health insurance (3%) and fourth graders not proficient in reading (72%), experts warn that climbing numbers of Alabama children in poverty pose the greatest risk to their welfare.

“Child poverty has remained unchanged for the last 20 years,” said Apreill Hartsfield, Alabama Kids Count director for VOICES for Alabama’s Children in a recent release.

“While poverty doesn’t define a child, it can create huge obstacles that make escaping poverty extremely challenging.”

“No single data can fully capture a child’s well-being, but factors like economic security play a significant role in their growth and development,” the release continues.

“Disparities in income, race, ethnicity, and community can lead to poverty and limit a child’s opportunities. Families are diverse, and their financial situations vary greatly.”

“As a result, economic security means different things for different families,” it adds.

“However, access to affordable essential resources is vital for everyone.”

In 2024, 22% of Alabama children (239,241) were living in poverty, up 1% from 2023, according to the data book.

It defines children in poverty as the percentage of children under age 18 who live in families with incomes below 100% of the U.S. poverty threshold.

In 2022, a family of two adults and two children lived in poverty if the family’s annual income fell below $29,678, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Poverty status is not determined for people living in group quarters (such as military barracks, prisons and other institutional settings) or for unrelated individuals under age 15 (such as children in foster care), the book says.

“Research indicates that the level of a family’s economic security is a strong predictor of a child’s future success,” said Rhonda Mann, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children.

“By adopting smart policies based on research and data and continuing to invest in programs that are working, we can help families gain financial stability so that they can provide the resources their children need to succeed and one day carry on our legacy.”

The book points to an increase in the child death rate (from 22.3 per 100,000 children in 2012 to 25.1 per 100,000 in 2022) and the increased number of preventable teen deaths (179 in 2022 compared to 175 in 2012) as a need for better approaches to address the state’s problems.

The leading cause of preventable deaths for children and youth in Alabama is firearm incidents, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The book suggests supporting firearm safety policies and investing in social resources like community nonprofits, jobs programs, and education to foster “long-term community safety.”

Where did the state improve?

The book also highlights some areas where state initiatives positively impacted outcomes for children.

It links the Alabama Juvenile Justice Act to a 61.4% decline in Youth Incarcerations since its 2023 implementation and a two-percentage-point drop in the Juvenile Violent Crime Court Referral Rate at 4.3 in 2023 compared to 6.4 (per 1,000 youth 10-17 years old) in 2013.

It also links the Alabama Literacy Act, enacted in 2019, to a nearly 10% improvement (53% to 62%) in third graders’ testing scores between 2023 and 2024.

Where can parents go for help?

The book points readers to the Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers (ANFRC) as a resource for parents.

The statewide coalition of 24 nonprofit agencies and programs serves 47 Alabama counties, offering services to protect children and strengthen families.

This work empowers caregivers and parents to make informed decisions and enhances financial maturity, according to their website.

“The Alabama Kids Count data shows that while every family is unique, many face common challenges affecting children’s health, safety, and education, often due to barriers to economic security,” said Joan Witherspoon-Norris, executive director of the Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers, in the release.

“Our desire is for every Alabama family to thrive and to be supported by a community that is empowered to foster growth.”

“The Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers is dedicated to partnering with local communities to drive positive change through collaboration, advocating for high-quality family support and policies that strengthen our society,” she continued.