State and region's child-protection numbers are good, but...

According to Save the Children’s report on global children's health released earlier this month, the US ranks 43 out of 180 nations – tied with Montenegro and China, and below most other wealthy industrialized countries – in helping children achieve their potential. The survey measured four factors that cut childhood short: hunger, poor education, teenage pregnancy and early death from accidents, murder, suicide or ill health.

The survey ranked New Hampshire third among states where childhood is most protected, according to these indicators. The results also showed that the county you live in can have a positive or negative effect on your eventual success – which is good news for many Lakes Region communities. Belknap ranks third lowest among the state’s 10 counties for number of deaths before age 18, teen pregnancies, high school dropouts and teen hunger, behind Grafton and Rockingham counties.

Other studies show that health and opportunities can differ widely between zip codes and contiguous neighborhoods, especially where there are stark differences in income levels and educational achievement of parents.

“New Hampshire is a fantastic place to raise children, but I don’t think it’s as rosy for everybody,” said Kerri Lowe, coordinator of ACERT, the Adverse Childhood Experience Response Team in Laconia, which expedites services for children in crisis.  “There are a lot of disparities between families depending on their advantages.”

In Laconia and other communities in the Lakes Region and across the state, data points to a pressing need to identify at-risk children early and connect them as quickly as possible with help.  Schools have been especially proactive about supporting children in trauma and teaching coping skills. 

"Five or six years ago, we started with school-based social workers," said McKenzie Harrington-Bacote, grants administrator at the Laconia schools' Office of Student Wellness. "We're now working one on one with families, getting them connected with what they need, whether it's helping them find housing or do paperwork."

In 2017, the Laconia Police Department responded to 196 domestic violence calls, 453 juvenile involvement calls (including fights, acting out in the home, and reports of runaways) and 153 drug overdoses resulting in eight deaths. With just over 16,000 people in the City on the Lakes, those numbers are alarming – comparable to rates in Manchester, experts say. Research shows that ongoing exposure of children to trauma can compromise health and education, and lead to maladaptive and self-destructive behaviors, sometimes patterns that linger for life.

Statistics from local schools indicate that many children are at high risk for adverse childhood experiences or ACES that can lead a trauma-reactive state that undermines their ability to learn, grow and succeed.

Poverty, homelessness and exposure to violence are significant ACES. In October 2019, 55 percent of the Laconia school district’s student population was eligible for free and reduced lunch, with Woodland Heights Elementary School reporting almost 64 percent, according to district data. Far fewer students at the high school registered (39.7%), because many teens are too embarrassed to receive it, according to food service staff. The numbers typically rise as the school year progresses, Harrington-Bacote said.

During the last five years, roughly 6 percent of Laconia students were homeless, which includes living with grandparents or adults other than parents. In 2014 an FBI crime report showed that Laconia had a significantly higher crime rate than the national average, and more than twice the New Hampshire average, according to crime reports.

Laconia schools are now collecting data on ACES in incoming kindergartners through interviews with family members.  A high percentage of kindergarteners are entering with four-plus ACES, according to families willing to share their information, said Lowe.  Franklin schools are witnessing similarly alarming rates, which administrators believe is tied to the opioid crisis.

“We do know ACES happen at all socio-economic levels. But there’s an increase in incidence in families that experience poverty," said Lowe. The data points to an ongoing need for school-based mental health supports, and professional home visits related to issues at home.  “We’re trying to increase access and awareness of resources to all families.” 

That includes boosting relationships at school. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students who feel connected to their families and schools are 65 percent less likely to use illicit drugs or misuse prescription drugs; 54 percent less likely to be diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases as adults; and 51 percent less likely to report having experienced physical violence in the past year.