Reform for Children  

All children deserve to grow up in a safe home, no matter what line of work their parents are in.  We need reform so that no worker has to risk the health and well-being of his or her child in order to stay on the job.  Every child has the right to an education and basic medical care.  And every family deserves the opportunity to raise their children in a safe and healthy environment.  We can all play a part in making our state a healthier, safer place for all our children.

The children of farmworkers often live in dangerous conditions, including:

• Lack of medical care
• Exposure to harmful pesticides
• Substandard housing
• Risk of hunger
• Restricted access to education

In addition, many farmworker children work in the fields.  Because of their lack of experience, education and body size, farmworker children are particularly at risk for occupational illnesses and injuries. They are susceptible to pesticide exposure due to living adjacent to fields, their stage of development, the lack of information and studies about the impact of exposure on children, and the lack of training on pesticide safety. Many farmworker youth also lack health insurance, transportation, and money, thus making it more difficult to reduce their rate of illness from work-related stressors.  There is a lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate illness prevention materials and workshops for farmworker youth.

Click here to watch a video about the struggles that migrant farmworking children in NC face every day.