The impact of Connecticut's income gaps, which are growing faster than in any other state in the country, are being felt by the state's children in their physical and mental health and educational development. A new study released by Connecticut Voices for Children indicates that low-income children are at least twice as likely as higher-income children to have physical health problems, experience emotional and behavioral health difficulties, have learning disabilities, and be at risk of developmental delays.
The gap between Connecticut's low-income and higher-income children in overall measures of child well-being is the fourth worst among all states. Among higher-income children, Connecticut ranks 15th highest among all states in child well-being compared to higher-income children in other states. However, Connecticut's low-income children fare poorly compared to low-income children in other states, ranking only 39th.