HARTFORD, CT — Caregivers of young children are struggling with financial, housing and food insecurity – with 52% of those who do not feel financially secure also reporting a negative impact on their mental health, according to a recent survey.
But the impact isn’t just on parents and other primary caregivers. Children are also feeling the effects – as 26% of survey respondents reported a negative impact on their children, the data revealed.
“The message that we get from parents is clear. Many families with young children are really struggling to make ends meet. And this is taking a toll on both parents and children’s mental health and well-being,” said Cynthia Willner, Director of Research at the CTData Collaborative (CTData).
The collaborative, The Connecticut Project and the Stanford Center on Early Childhood partnered to conduct the survey of 1,163 caregivers in 137 towns in the state in late 2024. The results were included in the group’s third Connecticut RAPID Survey report.
According to the report, caregivers of children under age 6 were asked about their financial security and their ability to meet basic needs including housing, food, health care and heating.
Among what the data revealed: only 1 in 3 respondents described themselves as financially secure, only 48% could afford a $1,000 emergency expense without going into debt, 54% reported difficulty in paying for food, housing and utilities in the previous month and 48% of families reported experiencing food insecurity in the past year while 28% of parents were experiencing unstable housing.
The report includes quotes from families interviewed for the survey. Many describe falling behind after having to pay for unanticipated expenses such as medical care and car repairs.
“And many of these families, they are young families, so they’re not at their earning potential and trying to pay for childcare and all the other expenses that we all have to pay for every month, you know, without being at your top earning potential. It’s just a real challenge,” Willner said.
The resulting stress parents are under can trickle down to the children, according to the study.
“Parents talked about children witnessing arguments among parents because of financial struggles or snapping at their children more often because they’re stressed about finances,” Willner said. “Now, these are just a couple example quotes from the survey, but these are the kinds of things that parents were saying.”
The study also revealed racial inequities, according to the report, with 64% of Latino and 56% of Black families experiencing food insecurity compared to 40% of their white counterparts.
Willner said the state could help address the issue.
Among some of the proposals the report recommends are establishing a fully refundable state child tax credit for low and middle income families, expanding affordable child care options, and increasing investment in affordable housing.
“We really do encourage the legislature to prioritize a variety of policies that could help these families support their economic stability – policies that continue to expand access to affordable childcare and affordable housing across the state, strengthening renter protections, continuing to rein in and subsidize utility costs for low-income households,” Willner said. “Anything we can do to end predatory lending could really make a big difference for these families that are struggling to get by each month.”
Organizers note that, while the sample of parents interviewed was diverse, the results don’t indicate the experiences of all families in Connecticut.
The families were recruited through community-based organizations such as early childhood collaboratives, regional educational service centers, mental health providers and early intervention services, according to the report.
The survey that was most recently released is the third out of a series of eight, “with the goal of these surveys being to raise the voices of parents of young children across Connecticut regarding their experiences and what they need to flourish.”
The next survey’s topic will go over early literacy and relational health, according to CTData.