The extended government shutdown could have consequences felt across the state of Louisiana. Unfortunately, many of the youngest and most vulnerable could be caught in the political crossfire.
Mattilyn Karst Benson is the Policy Director for the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, and she’s sounding the alarm about the dire consequences that could be felt for children across the state if the shutdown continues.
With SNAP benefits ending, food insecurity is already a great concern. Afterschool programs such as Headstart provide children with snacks, and that gap in food and care could be felt deeply, Karst Benson explained.
“Particularly, the Head Start Program, which is a federally funded program for early childhood education … in Louisiana, over 1,300 children are being impacted as of November 1st,” Karst Benson noted. “Children who are in Headstart and other early learning programs are fed snacks throughout the day and children who no longer have access to that could lead to food insecurity and that’s a great concern,” she pointed out.
While some may see these issues as temporary growing pains, Karst Benson stresses that the lack of resources at-risk children are facing could have lifelong impacts.
“Research shows that children who are in high-quality early learning programs are more likely to be ready in kindergarten, better ready for third grade, and then on to high school and adulthood. There are lifelong implications for hitting mile markers in early development,” Karst Benson notes.
As politicians play politics, the clock doesn’t stop. For many developing children who aren’t at fault in this gamesmanship, they could be feeling the effects long after the shutdown ends.