Oregon third-worst for percentage of children with unemployed parents

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Published: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 9:17 PM Updated: Thursday, August 18, 2011, 9:48 AM

Thirteen percent of Oregon children have at least one unemployed parent, ranking the state third worst nationally in a dynamic that can have lifelong effects on kids.

A study on children released Wednesday by The Annie E. Casey Foundation included the unemployment statistic. Oregon and four other states tied, ranking only slightly better than Rhode Island at 14 percent and Nevada at 16 percent in 2010.

Oregon’s No. 3 ranking seems high, given that the state ranked seventh nationally last year for unemployment, at 10.8 percent. Children’s advocates blame what they see as a lack of government help for parents trying to hold onto jobs while caring for kids. They plan to push the Legislature to expand programs that support working parents.