1. Charles Bruner writes this article to show the importance of family safety, stability, and
nurturing in order for children to thrive as they grow older. He argues that the lack of
resources in certain areas are setting up families with small children up for failure in the
sense that without these critical resources, there is a much higher chance of poverty,
discrimination, and marginalization. He uses census tracts to show that the economically
richer neighborhoods and areas have the most resources whereas the poorer
neighborhoods have the least resources when they really need them the most.
2. The first result that Burner publishes in his article is the idea that poor neighborhoods
have an abundance of young children that live in them. He uses census tracts and data to
prove this and states that as census tracts move from rates of child poverty below 10% to
rates of child poverty above 50%, the proportion of young children increases from 5.9%
to 8.6%. This comes out to be an increase of 46% of the total population. The second
point he makes is that children of color are usually found in poorer neighborhoods and
that the proportions are very skewed. He states that 81.3% of children living in census
tracts with poverty rates greater than 50% are children of color. Another figure within the
article showed that 8.4% of white, non-Hispanic children living in areas where the
poverty rate is greater than 40%, African American, Native American, and Hispanic
children makeup 38.2%, 31.9%, and 28.9% of the population, respectively. Since the
makeup of children in these neighborhoods are so disproportionate, it results in only 1 in
6 white non-Hispanic children living in neighborhoods where the poverty exceeds 30%.
His third finding was that differences in income, wealth, education, and social structure
are critical and important and require not only community-building but also individual
service attention. This point is emphasized by the fact that the saying “it takes a village”
is true and proven to help children as they grow. The more distressed a neighborhood, the
more the daily toll of staying secure and safe affects the habitants of that specific
neighborhood. The more stress you're under, the more it’ll affect you and your children
and your children’s children. It’s important to be a connected neighborhood and
community if the resources themselves are lacking. The last point he makes is that every
state has such disparities, but states differ in the composition of their poor neighborhoods
and the young children most affected. At state and community levels, it’s important to
consider the geographic location of these communities and how certain resources can
benefit them the best.
3. The two results that were most surprising to me was how rich in young children poor
neighborhoods are and how poor neighborhoods are mostly housing children of color.
I’ve heard these trends vaguely before but the abundance of children and children of
color is astounding. The fact that there is almost a 3% increase in young children when
the rates of child poverty increase from 10% to 50% is super concerning. And on the
other hand, the lack of white non-Hispanic children within poorer neighborhoods is
worrisome. The percentages speak for themselves and the clear difference in the numbers
stated in that last section is disturbing.
4. “Beyond individual diagnosis and response” refers to how no matter how healthy a
child’s inner circle is, they can be affected by outside sources such as neighborhood or
school violence, bullying, or discrimination. ACE’s related to actions within the
community or society as a whole, can negatively impact these children with stress levels
that are hard to manage. We know that violence and the effects of growing up around that
are even more impactful on children than adults after conducting research on families
growing up in war zones, for example. It’s important to surround yourself with a healthy
community for this very reason.
5. Anchor institutions are large places, that are particularly federally qualified health
centers, free clinics, public hospitals, and child/maternal health centers that help
community-build and essentially offer points of assembly within the poorest
neighborhoods that require the most help. These are so important in providing a safe
place that can not only teach but also provide a secure area for families, especially ones
with young children. These institutions invest in their community so it’s a win-win for
both parties.
6. The most important things that stuck out to me were that anchor institutions are not only
necessary but encouraged as they positively impact families not only in a biomedical
sense but also in a social sense. These institutions are so crucial in helping with health
care needs but also allowing young children to engage in healthy conversations and
interactions in a very safe environment. I was not aware of these institutions before and
I’m so glad I’m more educated on the idea. Another idea mentioned in the article that
stuck out to me was how your environment as a child is so important. I didn’t realize that
even something as simple as a home with mold, which seems to be a very common
problem, can really impact a young child. Obviously their health will suffer but
something like that or lead or airborne pollutants can also jeopardize someone’s well
being physically and mentally.