The well-being of South Carolina's children, including many of those in The T&D Region, is hampered by continued high rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, child and teen deaths and children living in poverty, a survey finds.

S.C. Kids Count, a nonprofit organization that tracks county-by-county trends in educational and social behavior, performs the annual survey looking at 10 indicators from infant mortality to single-parent families.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based children's advocacy group, funds the Kids Count project, which is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the nation.

The study found South Carolina ranks 46th in the well-being of children, placing it ahead of only Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico and Alabama.

S.C. Kids Count Project Director Dr. Baron Holmes said the state's ranking makes it uncompetitive with other states in the nation.

"Care for our young children is inadequate, so early childhood development and readiness are not competitive. Health services have improved, but child health in South Carolina is not competitive," Holmes said. "South Carolina would have to reduce our family, economic, health and safety problem indicator rates by roughly 20 percent to be competitive."

The report states that South Carolina saw improvements in only three of 10 measures of child well-being, saw no change in two and experienced setbacks in five others since 2000.

Report highlights include the state ranking:

* 42nd in the nation in the percentage of children living in poverty (income below $19,806 for a family of two adults and two children in 2005). Between 2000 and 2005, the percentage of kids living in poverty increased from 19 percent to 23 percent, a 21-percent increase.

* 47th in the nation in the percentage of low-birthweight babies (less than 5.5 pounds). Between 2000 and 2004, the percentage increased from 9.7 percent to 10.2 percent, a 5-percent increase.

* 48th in the nation in the percentage of infant mortality, or deaths per 1,000 live births. Between 2000 and 2004, the percentage increased from 8.7 percent to 9.3 percent, a 7-percent increase.

The state, however, had more favorable rankings for: child death rate (34th); teen death rate (39th); high school dropouts (36th) and rate of children who live with parents who lack a secure, year-round job (36th).



T&D Region



Orangeburg County's problems stem largely from its percentage of low-birthweight babies, which was 56 percent above the national average of 8.1 percent. The county's percentage of deaths for children aged 1 to 14 was also 69 percent higher than the national average of 6.8 percent.

The county fared better, however, with its infant mortality rate, which was only 21 percent higher than the national average.

Bamberg County's percentage of single-parent families is 66 percent higher than the national average. Low-birthweight babies were also 45 percent higher than the U.S. average, with infants dying before their first birthday more than twice the national average.

The county fared better in its teen death rate, which was only 8 percent higher than the national average. The county's teen birth rate was also considerably lower than the U.S. average, with approximately 39 out of 1,000 babies being born to teen mothers in Bamberg County each year.

Calhoun County's child death rate was more than twice the national average, but Holmes has said the statistics are relative. He has said the county will generally have higher rates because of its small size and the fact that the rates are calculated per 100,000.

It also struggled with low birth weight and infant mortality, which were 26 percent and 46 percent higher than the national average, respectively. The county fared better with its teen birth rate, with approximately 39 of 1,000 babies being born to teens in the county each year.

Virginia Berry White, LMSW, is program director of the Denmark-based Low Country Healthy Start, a maternal and infant wellness program serving Allendale, Bamberg, Hampton and Orangeburg counties.

White said preconceptual care is critical in reducing low birth weight. She said LCHS helps women understand the need for lifestyle and behavioral changes. Outreach services, case management, health education, perinatal depression screening and interconceptional care education are among the LCHS services.

"It is critical for the pregnant woman to get care in the first trimester so risks can be determined and ... care can be given," she said.

Diabetes, hypertension and other chronic illnesses greatly impact pregnancy outcomes, with African-Americans at higher risk for many of them, including obesity, White said.



Dropout rate



The state experienced a 36-percent decline in its drop-out rate between 2000 and 2005, tying it with the national average. Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, however, struggled in that area between 2002 and 2005, with rates more than twice the U.S. average.

Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 Superintendent Melvin Smoak said measures are being taken to keep children in school, including a Saturday Academy, extended day programs, a New Vision alternative program and a partnership with the Orangeburg-based William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility.

"The sheriff's department and the city work with us to keep kids in school, with an attending supervisor following through. We're putting greater emphasis in making sure schools are monitored very closely with what's happening with students and where they are," said Smoak, noting that after-school programs, an adult education program managed by Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and credit recovery programs have also helped to reduce dropout rates.

"We're also getting parents more involved," said Smoak, noting that last year's effectiveness audit revealed a greater-than-projected overall dropout rate of 2.8 percent. "That was a plus, but we're still trying to do a better job at it," he said.

The Kids Count report also addressed the special needs of foster care children, including the importance of keeping them in lasting family connections.

Sonya Bryant, human services program coordinator at the Orangeburg County Department of Social Services, said there are 71 children in foster care in Orangeburg County, with provisions also being made for children with special needs or behavioral problems.

"Generally, we have been able to maintain them in this community, to place them with a licensed foster home within the county. It's important for them to be placed within their own communities and schools because the ties of the neighborhood and family are very important to them" Bryant said.

"As long as they're in some kind of educational component," she said, children can remain in foster care until age 21.

"We have an independent living program ... which will help them to gain the skills needed to live in the community. There is some funding to help with housing and various things ... if they have a job that they can sustain themselves with," Bryant said, "but a lot of foster families still reach out .. and continue to provide support to them even after they leave care."

She said there is a need for more families to accept teenagers and sibling groups into their care.

Loressa Jenkins, a foster care licensing recruiter, said newspaper articles, local business visitations and fliers are being used to boost recruitment.

For more information on the 2007 Kids Count, visit the Web site at www.kidscount.org/2007databook.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

You must be logged in to comment.