Despite higher demand for afterschool programs in communities of concentrated poverty, many low-income families face barriers to participating in such programs, according to a new report from the Afterschool Alliance. America After 3 PM finds that 67% of parents living in areas where the poverty rate is 30% percent or higher struggle to find a quality afterschool environment for their child, compared to 46% of parents in other communities. Affordability, poor transportation networks, hours of operation, and inconvenient locations were the primary obstacles facing parents looking for a program. The authors recommend increased investment in public afterschool programs, integrating other social services such as affordable housing and meals into afterschool programs, and raising awareness about the effectiveness of such programs in low-income communities.
Source: Spotlight on Poverty, 9/7/16, Afterschool
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