Kids Count Factbook highlights how families had it tough during pandemic

Rhode Island’s children and their families have had a rough year, according to the annual Rhode Island Kids Count Factbook released in May. Kids Count is a non-profit child advocacy group that examined 70 indicators in five areas that affect the lives of children. They are broken down into family and community; economic well-being; health; safety; and education.
The collected data showed three main takeaways: the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on Rhode Island’s communities; the concentration of child poverty in four core cities: Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket; and the continued racial and ethnic disparities within the state.
The data also showed a drop in adoption rates as well as a lack of access to children’s menta...