The 24th Annual Conditions of Children in Orange County report was released yesterday, offering a comprehensive assessment of the health, economic well-being, education and safety of the County’s children.
The following areas have shown improvement for the lives and well-being of Orange County’s youth:
- Good Health: Orange County children remain in good health with an uninsured rate of 2.5 percent; teen birth rates and infant mortality rates are at their lowest in 10 years.
- Academic Improvement: Students continue to show academic improvement, especially children in migrant education and children who are economically disadvantaged.
- Economic Well-Being / Child Support: The rate of current child support distributed to Orange County families has increased by 27 percent in 10 years, higher than the rate in California. These Improvements signify increased financial support for parents to provide for the basic needs of their children.
- Safe Homes and Communities / Permanency: The percentage of children and youth entering foster care and placed in a permanent home within 12 months has shown significant improvement and is now higher than the rate in California — the first time in six years.
“Having access to high-quality education, proper healthcare and a safe home environment is paramount to the success of our children - now and in the future. I am pleased to see significant strides in this year’s report to help improve the lives of Orange County youth,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, who serves at the Chair of the Orange County Children’s Partnership (OCCP), the collective that is responsible for publishing this report.
In addition to the positive outcomes previously highlighted, the rate of women in Orange County receiving early prenatal care is higher than the national rate, immunizations for our kindergarteners are at the highest level in 10 years and the Orange County high school dropout rate has decreased to 5.3 percent; lower than state and national rates.
“The data presented in this year’s report helps us identify areas of unmet need so we can focus efforts for continued improvement,” said Anne Bloxom, Director of the County of Orange Social Services Agency’s Children and Family Services Division and Vice Chair of the OCCP. “While the report illustrates positive strides made, we acknowledge there is more work to be done to help secure a brighter future for our children.”
