Report: Children’s Well-Being in Minnesota's Rural Areas Lags Behind Cities

Northeastern Minnesota has a higher percentage of abused or neglected children and children in out-of-home placement than any other part of the state, according to an annual report.

The 2012 Kids Count data book also found that obtaining critical basic needs can be extremely stressful for families in nonmetro Minnesota, and doing so can keep them from achieving economic stability.

“Access to health care, food, jobs and child care is limited in many regions throughout the state,” said a news release from Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, a sponsor of the report. “When these resources do exist, many families are unable to afford them because their jobs do not pay sufficient wages or offer critical benefits.”

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