Young Latino children: Are our youngest citizens ready to lead?

The increasing diversity of the American child population provides policymakers and elected officials a glimpse into our future—a future that is increasingly Latino, particularly among young children (ages 0-8). Young Latino children (ages 0-8) comprise nearly 18% of all Latinos and over a quarter of all 0-8 year olds children in the U.S. Given the population growth, we must ask ourselves: Are these children prepared to assume a leadership role in our society? Increasingly, the answer appears to be no. Young Latino children face multiple challenges that impede their future success. The National Council of La Raza, using data from the American Community Survey and the National Survey of Children's Health, identified four factors that affect the well-being of young Latino children. These factors, poverty, health insurance status, family literacy, and preschool attendance, have all been shown to harm the health and future success of young Latino children. Nearly a third of young Latino children live in poverty. Over 12% of young Latino children lack health insurance, more than double the percentage of White children. Over a third of Latino children are read to less than three times a week, the highest proportion among all children and nearly half of all Latino three-to-five year olds are not enrolled in preschool or kindergarten. These barriers can be addressed through adequate investments, policy changes, and holistic interventions that address the social determinants of health. Addressing these barriers will ensure that young Latino children, and our nation, will have a bright future.