Right Now Children are Hurting
…even here in the United States.
An estimated 1 in 14, or 5.2 million, children in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach the age of 18.
By age 25, this number nearly triples to 13.2 million.
These statistics don’t account for the number of children who have lost a “parental figure,” such as a grandparent or other primary caregiver.
By the Numbers
How COVID-19 Has Affected These Stats?
The COVID-19 Pandemic has only exacerbated the issue.
203,649 children under 18 lost a parent or other in-home caregiver to COVID-19.
More than 91,000 children lost a parent to COVID-19 in addition to over 79,000 who lost a grandparent caregiver in the home, while more than 15,000 children lost their only in-home caregiver.
Annual Child Deaths in the U.S.
It is estimated that 73,000 children die every year in the United States.
Of those children, 83 percent have surviving siblings.
What about in Florida?
In Florida 1 in 12 will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach the age of 18.
By the age of 25 that number more than doubles.
Who supports these affected children?
Those who lost a parent growing up said it took 6+ years before they could move forward, yet 57% reported that support from family and friends waned within the first 3 months following the loss.
Nearly 70% of teachers have at least one grieving student in their classroom, but only 7% of teachers have had any amount of bereavement training.
What are the effects of these tragedies?
A report by New York Life Foundation and American Federation of Teachers found that students who have lost a parent or guardian typically exhibit:
- Difficulty concentrating in class (observed by 87% of teachers)
- Withdrawal/disengagement and less class participation (observed by 82%)
- Absenteeism (observed by 72%)
- Decrease in quality of work (observed by 68%)
- Less reliability in turning in assignments (observed by 66%)
Foster Children Face a Similar Situation
In 2021, nationally, there were approximately 402,140 children in Foster Care, while Florida had an estimated 23,229 children in Foster Care.
There are over 6,000 kids in the foster system between Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas County, Florida.
Most States, including Florida provide less than 50% of what it costs a typical American family to raise a child from 0 – 17 years of age. Any resource, experience or opportunity beyond a basic need is not required to be provided.
80% of foster youth suffer
from mental health issues
in comparison to 18% – 22% of non-foster youth.
More than 23,000 children will age out
of the US foster care system every year.
National studies have shown that within two years of leaving foster care at age 18:
- 40% were homeless
- 40% were receiving public assistance or were incarcerated
- 40% experienced drug or alcohol abuse
- 46% had not finished high school
- 51% were unemployed
Within four years of aging out, those numbers increase:
- 70% will be on government assistance.
- 50% will be unemployed.
- 50% will experience homelessness.
- 25% will not have completed high school.
- Less than 12% will ever earn their college degree.
- 84% became parents.
What We Can Do About It
Children’s Dream Adventures was founded to assist children who have lost a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver, as well as Foster Children, and other children by providing
hope, joy, experiences and opportunities
as they are navigating through difficult situations.