Report says many Iowa kids still at-risk

A new report by a child advocacy group shows minority children in Iowa still lag behind others in several key factors. “Iowa Kids Count” spokesman Michael Crawford says their study shows approximately one-in-four Iowa children are at at-risk of being abused, being born to an unwed mother, or being born at a low birth weight. Spokesman Michael Crawford says the figures are even higher for minority kids. He says poverty is one of the main reasons, as the poverty rate for African-Americans in many cities is over 50-percent. Crawford says a lack of prenatal care for those below the poverty line is another thing that puts the kids at risk. Census figures show the number of non-white children is growing in Iowa. But, Crawford says that’s not the reason for the continuing number of children at risk.Crawford says the poverty level hasn’t changed much at all, even during the prosperous decade of the 90s. Crawford says the state needs to invest more money into helping low-income Iowans.Crawford says if the state doesn’t pay to improve the health of the kids now, we’ll face a bigger bill for the kids later.