Economic Well-Being in
Rhode Island

Children most at risk of not achieving their full potential are children who live in poverty. Families in poverty are often not able to meet their basic needs: the cost of food, clothing, housing, health care, and more.

Income supports, such as child care assistance, health care (RIte Care), food assistance and tax credits, can help families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold meet their basic needs.

Poverty is related to every KIDS COUNT indicator. Children in poverty, especially those who experience poverty in early childhood and for extended periods, are more likely to have physical and behavioral health problems, experience difficulty in school, become teen parents, and earn less or be unemployed as adults. Children in poverty are less likely to be enrolled in a child care care center or preschool, more likely to attend schools that lack resources and rigor, and have fewer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities.

Many working and unemployed families in Rhode Island are eligible for income support services and benefits to help their children grow and thrive. Programs such as health insurance (RIte Care), child care subsidies, tax credits (EITC), nutrition assistance (SNAP and WIC) and cash assistance (RI Works) are available to families with low or moderate incomes. 

Check out our publications

Factbook Indicators

• Median Family Income
• Cost of Housing
• Children Experiencing Homelessness
• Secure Parental Employment
• Paid Family Leave
• Children Receiving Child Support
• Children in Poverty
• Children in Families Receiving Cash Assistance
• Children Receiving SNAP Benefits
• Women and Children Participating in WIC
• Children Participating in School Breakfast

Special Publications

• Access to School Breakfast: A Key Strategy for Improving Children’s Health, Education, and Well-Being - May 2019
  Hunger and lack of regular access to food are linked to serious physical, psychological, emotional, and academic problems in children and can interfere with their growth and development. School Breakfast is an effective way to fill these nutritional gaps. Implementing key strategies such as the Community Eligibility Program, Universal School Breakfast, and “Breakfast After the Bell” can increase participation.
• Help for Working and Unemployed Families Resource Sheet, May 2014 
  Many working and unemployed families in Rhode Island are eligible for services and benefits to help support their families. Programs such as health insurance (RIte Care), child care subsidies, tax credits (EITC), nutrition assistance (SNAP and WIC) and cash assistance (RI Works) are available to families with low or moderate incomes. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT has published this resource in English and Spanish to help working and unemployed Rhode Island families access these services and benefits. If you would like to order copies of these publications, please email rikids@rikidscount.org to request them. 

Issue Briefs

• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Economic Well-Being In Rhode Island, December 2021 - Racial and ethnic diversity has increased in the United States and Rhode Island over the last several decades and is projected to rise in the future. The diversity of Rhode Island is an asset; however, there are wide, persistent, and unacceptable disparities in children’s economic well-being by race and ethnicity. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Economic Well-Being in Rhode Island includes disaggregated data by race and ethnicity on key indicators of child and family well-being including unemployment rates, family income, poverty, wealth, homeownership, and postsecondary education. The report suggests solutions and actions Rhode Island can take to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities and promote equitable, racially aware, and community-driven policies. Please see the full publication, the media release, and the release event recording.
• Child Poverty in Rhode Island, June 2020 - this report highlights the far-reaching negative impacts of poverty on children and families, as well as extensive recommendations to address the issue. An increase in child poverty and widening racial and ethnic disparities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious concern. Statewide and community-specific child poverty rates are presented in the Issue Brief.
• Working Parents, Child Care, and Paid Family Leave in Rhode Island, June 2018
  This Issue Brief includes data and research on low-income working families as well as provide a deeper analysis of three key policies – child care assistance, paid family leave, and earned sick leave – that promote family economic security and children’s development and school readiness. The Issue Brief also includes recommendations on how to improve these policies to best support low-income working parents and their young children in Rhode Island.
• Children of Incarcerated Parents in Rhode Island, May 2017
  Parental incarceration can contribute to children’s insecure attachment to their parent, which can lead to poor developmental outcomes. Parental incarceration increases children’s risk for learning disabilities, ADHD, conduct problems, developmental delays, mental health issues, and speech problems. Children of incarcerated parents are more likely than other children to be involved with the child welfare system and to drop out of high school. The Issue Brief presents information on parental incarceration in Rhode Island, racial and ethnic disparities, and key strategies for meeting the unique needs of children with incarcerated parents and their families while a parent is incarcerated and after a parent is released from prison.
• Child Poverty in Rhode Island, January 2015
  Poverty is an issue affecting children and families in every city and town in Rhode Island. Children in poverty, especially those who experience poverty in early childhood and for extended periods, are more likely to have physical and behavioral health problems, experience difficulty in school, become teen parents, and earn less or be unemployed as adults.Children in poverty are less likely to be enrolled in preschool, more likely to attend schools that lack resources and rigor, and have fewer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities. Statewide and community-specific child poverty rates are presented in the Issue Brief.
• Child Poverty in Rhode Island, November 2012

The Early Learning Fact Sheet Series

• Focus on Evidence-Based Family Home Visiting, October 2015
  Healthy brain development depends on attentive, nurturing caregiving in infancy and early childhood. Research shows that there is a negative impact on brain development when young children do not have consistent, supportive relationships with caregivers and are exposed to “toxic stress.” Providing early and intensive support to families with multiple risk factors improves child development outcomes. This report includes data and information on infants born with key risk factors, and provides a comprehensive overview of Evidence-Based Family Home Visiting Programs in Rhode Island.
• Focus on The Child Care Assistance Program, 2014 
  Families need child care in order to work and to provide the early education experiences necessary to prepare their children for school. Yet the high cost of child care puts quality care out of reach for many low-income families. This Fact Sheet provides the latest available data, key facts, and recommendations about the Child Care Assistance Program in Rhode Island.

Related Rhode Island KIDS COUNT TV Shows

• January 2014 -  Lisa Roth Blackman (The Rhode Island Community Food Bank), Jennifer Watkins (Crossroads Rhode Island), and Maxine Richman (The Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty) joined host Elizabeth Burke Bryant to discuss poverty and related issues in Rhode Island.
• May 2013 - Women's Fund of Rhode Island Strategic Initiatives Officer/State Senator Gayle Goldin and Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Senior Policy Analyst Leanne Barrett joined host Elizabeth Burke Bryant to discuss paid family leave as part of Temporary Disability Insurance.

Related Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Resources

• Economic Well-Being Legislation
• Housing & Homelessness
• Housing & Homelessness Legislation 

Additional Resources

Rhode Island

• The Economic Progress Institute is a nonpartisan research and policy organization dedicated to improving the economic well-being of low- and modest-income Rhode Islanders.
• The Rhode Island Department of Human Services offers medical and financial aid, food stamps and social services to Rhode Islanders in need.

National

• Annie E. Casey Foundation National Data Center – Economic Well-Being Indicators
  Rhode Island KIDS COUNT contributes data to the national KIDS COUNT Data Center, which is managed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.The national KIDS COUNT Data Center connects you to over four million data points about the well-being of children and families in each state and across the country. You can easily access hundreds of indicators related to health, education, employment and income, child welfare, and many other topics. The Data Center is free and available to all.