2009 Kern County Report Card

The Kern County Network for Children is pleased to present the 2009 Report Card, our eleventh annual county data book that examines the health, safety, economic security, and education of Kern County’s children.

Kern County is unique among counties in California. The state’s third-largest county in land area, Kern covers 8,170 square miles with three distinct physical environments: valley, mountain, and desert. Its 11 incorporated cities and 41 unincorporated communities were home to an estimated 823,550 residents on July 1, 2008. Employment in the government sector is most common in the county, followed by trade, transportation, utilities industries, farm industry, educational and health services, and professional and business services.

Kern County is a “young” county. One-third of the county’s total population are children under the age of 18 years. Close to half, forty-four percent of all the households in Kern County are raising children, which is nine percent higher than the state average.

The 2009 Report Card focuses on the conditions of children and families, along with highlighting comprehensive data that shows how well Kern County is meeting the basic needs all children share. It’s no secret that Kern County and other Central Valley communities in California share the state’s worst child well-being statistics. This year's Report Card finds:

  • Housing affordability in Kern County is becoming increasingly more difficult
  • Kern County’s median family income in 2007 was 28% less than the state and 24% less than the nation
  • Kern County’s average annual unemployment rate was on the rise in 2008 and currently is 14.7%
  • One in four Kern County children lived in poverty in 2007
  • African-American children, young children and children raised by single mothers have the highest poverty rates in the county
  • The rate of referrals for child abuse and neglect in Kern is higher than the state average
  • About 21 out of every 1,000 Kern County children, ages 0-17, were maltreated in 2007
  • Despite efforts on many fronts, Kern County’s infant mortality rate remains above the state average, with African-American infants at the highest risk of dying before their first birthday

Kern County also shares a passion for coming together to collectively solve issues facing Kern County families. Each day, programs and collaboratives made up of dedicated child advocates throughout Kern County work with families to build assets and strengthen their future. While the 2009 Report Card demonstrates some alarming statistics, it also highlights the collective successes of these committed individuals in improving the lives of children.

  • Fewer Kern County children are living apart from their families in foster care
  • Rates of Kern County children entering foster care continue to decline
  • Kern’s family reunification rates are increasing and remain higher than the state
  • 6 out of 7 Kern County foster children who goes home, did not return to foster care
  • The rate of births to teenage mothers in Kern County has declined overall since 2000, as it is statewide
  • The percent of child support being paid and distributed is increasing, providing more Kern County children with critical financial support

The Community In Action profiles within the 2009 Report Card highlight some of the innovative programs across the county and their successful strategies used to create the opportunities and conditions to help children thrive and succeed.

The Kern County Network for Children’s mission is:
“To protect and enrich the lives of children in Kern County through the commitment of all community partners by helping to build and sustain healthy families.”

As indicated in the Network’s mission statement, we understand that making sure that Kern County’s children are healthy, safe, and secure requires a sustained commitment from all members of our county, both public and private sectors. Despite these uncertain economic times there are steps we can all take to make sure families are stable and self-sufficient, and to make strides in our ability to improve child well-being in Kern County.

Children are one-third of Kern’s population, but 100 percent of the Network for Children’s mission. It is our hope that the facts and figures within the 2009 Report Card are not only informative, but also encourage community action to improve the lives of children. By raising awareness of these issues, we can galvanize our efforts as a community to protect and enrich the lives of all children. We invite the community to join the Network for Children and discover positive, proactive ways that they can contribute to building a strong future for our children.

  • 2009 Kern County Report Card pdf symbol:

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