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-In 1996, Florida's national rank in child well-being dropped to 48th, trailed only by <br />Mississippi, Louisiana and Washington, D.C. <br />-Poverty for children, births to adolescents, infant mortality, and low birthweight are <br />shamefully higher in Florida (and the U.S.) than in other industrialized nations. <br />-Florida's low birth weight rate continues to increase among white women and, although stable <br />among nonwhites, it is still nearly double that of whites. <br />-Almost 25% of infants were bom to mothers who did not finish high school. <br />-One in 4 births were to women who did not plan to become pregnant and 1 in 7 babies were <br />unwanted at conception. <br />-At least 27,00 children are currently waiting for subsidized child care; another 31,000 <br />children are expected to need childcare subsidies to all parents leaving welfare for work. <br />-The Florida rate for subsidized childcare is much less than the national costs <br />of quality care ($2,975 vs. $4,689). Young at -risk children cannot get the <br />quality of care needed to optimize their development. Half-day, part -year <br />PreKindergarten and Head Start programs are unable to meet working parents <br />needs. <br />-At least 12,946 children under age six did not enter school "ready to learn'; <br />they were not promoted to PreK, kindergarten or first grade. <br />-3755 children were waiting to be adopted in June of 1996, and as of October <br />1996, 3105 children in foster care had waited an average of 44.4 months to be <br />adopted. <br />-Florida ranks 2nd highest in violent juvenile crime in the nation (60% higher <br />than the national rate). <br />22 <br />MAY 13, 1997 <br />