Report: Kids Disconnected

As kids prepare to head back to school this fall, a new groundbreaking report reveals the disconnect between kids, public safety, and technology.

DENVER, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, July 29, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Millions of young children across the U.S. suffer from lack of access to life-saving 9-1-1 emergency services, according to a new report by COSMO Technologies, a Denver-based family tech design & manufacturing company. The report estimates that a staggering 26.6 million children under the age of 12 face severely limited or no access to crucial public safety services due to lack of phone access or proper training.

"This report shines an important light on a massive inequality in our nation," says COSMO Co-Founder & CEO Russell York. "Despite the fact that kids suffer from the highest rates of abuse, neglect, and accidents, they are left vulnerable through a lack of proper technology, policies, or training."

Using recent demographic data alongside relevant studies and surveys from Common Sense Media and the journal Pediatrics, the report highlights how most children, especially those in lower income households, face a dangerous lack of training and access to devices for calling 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Key data from the report include:
-- 26.6 million kids across the U.S. under the age of 12 face severely limited access to 9-1-1 emergency services.
-- 91% of kids under the age of 12 are unlikely to be equipped to successfully notify 9-1-1 in an emergency situation.
-- Children from low income households are significantly less likely to have essential access to 9-1-1 emergency services.

"These data highlight the magnitude of a deadly disconnect faced by the most vulnerable and underrepresented portion of the U.S. population," the report states. Despite the fact that 9-1-1 emergency services have expanded dramatically over the past 50 years, the access and training young kids receive remains limited and fractured.

As tens of millions of children prepare to head back to school this fall in the shadow of the devastating school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last spring, questions of child safety are more relevant than ever. As parents and educators worry about physical safety, they also increasingly worry about kids' mental health and well being as data increasingly show concerning consequences related to smartphone and social media usage.

Despite the fact that children today face unprecedented violence at school, as well as growing rates of abuse and neglect, parents and schools are left with an all-or-nothing choice: to choose between allowing children unlimited access to harmful devices, or limiting their access to life-saving services.

"Kids today face a fundamental dilemma," the report explains. "Trapped between the wrong type of devices that damage mental health and drive addiction, and the reactive backlash policies against them. The result is that children are left disconnected and unprotected in our digital age. "

"We've created a lose-lose scenario for kids and families in this country," says York. "We have to be willing to call this what it is: a violation of our kids' fundamental right to safety and connection."

The report calls for action from a "combination of actors, including parents and caregivers, policymakers and educators, as well as private and public technology leaders." Alongside urging further study, the report calls for action to improve technology, improve policy, and improve training & education for children.

A growing petition called Equal Access 9-1-1: Our Kids Call For Help has also gathered increasing support from parents, educators, and activists.

"Young kids across this country will head back to school this fall without the access they need to life-saving, child-safe services," says York. "We hope this report creates the awareness needed for change."

Ryan Gilles
COSMO Technologies, Inc.
+1 847-501-0204
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