A Tale of Two Cities:
Bainum Report Details Status of the District’s Youngest Residents
A new report — commissioned by the Bainum Family Foundation and produced by Child Trends — is the first step in the Foundation’s five-year, $10 million commitment to improve early learning opportunities in the District of Columbia.
The report, “Infants and Toddlers in the District of Columbia: A Statistical Look at Needs and Disparities,” takes a critical look at the challenges facing the District’s youngest children and their families. It finds that the District is a tale of two cities, with wide disparities between neighborhoods in terms of support for healthy births, quality child development and school readiness.
For example, compared with those in more affluent areas, young children in the District’s poorest wards are:
- More than 20 times more likely to live in “concentrated poverty”
- More than 100 times more likely to face neglect or other maltreatment
- 25 times more likely to die before their first birthdays
The report data, along with conversations with experts, advocates and service providers, demonstrate a great need to improve support for children and families, particularly those living east of the Anacostia River in the District’s Wards 7 and 8.
Learn more about how the District can address the needs of its most vulnerable residents.