An annual study of children's well-being has once again identified South Carolina as one of the worst states in the nation for young people. The annual Kids Count report probably will be greeted by state leaders with a yawn, though in this election year it rightfully deserves a prominent place in all political debates.

The state ranked 47th in the annual ranking -- 1 (New Hampshire) being best, 50 (Mississippi) being worst. That represented a decline from 45th last year.

Of the many troubling categories in which South Carolina fared poorly, the state ranked 42nd in child poverty, which increased 21 percent between 2000 and 2004, according to the report from the nonprofit Annie E. Casey Foundation. About one in four South Carolina children lived in poverty in 2004.

Meanwhile, also in 2004, 40 percent of children lived in single-parent families -- an increase of 14 percent from the year 2000. Likewise, 35 percent of children lived in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment. That represented an increase of 13 percent from the year 2000.

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The state ranked 48 in the nation in low birthweight babies. That's a huge concern because those children often face physical and mental developmental difficulties later in life. The state made progress in at least some areas. For instance, fewer teens are dropping out of high school than in 2000, according to the report.

But the state's overall ranking of 47 -- surpassed only by New Mexico, Louisiana and Mississippi -- should be of concern to anyone who cares about the health and welfare of children.

It would be easy to blame the state entirely -- and certainly state and local leaders can do a lot more to help children -- but the report reflects most poorly on adults who make poor lifestyle choices detrimental to themselves and their own children. It almost goes without saying that children born to teen or single parents are far more likely to grow up in poverty than those born to two older parents who graduated at least from high school.

Because education is the key to a well-paying career, state lawmakers could do much more to create a strong statewide system of early education to make sure children from low-income families get the head start they need. Likewise, efforts to reduce South Carolina's dropout rate should be encouraged. The state could strive to ensure that more mothers gain access to high-quality prenatal care, which will help prevent premature births.

Lawmakers could alter South Carolina's tax policy to help low-income families. This year, however, lawmakers did just the opposite -- rewarding the wealthiest taxpayers in the state at the expense of the poor.

Public/private partnerships -- such as initiatives by the March of Dimes to reduce premature births -- are a vital part of the solution. Churches, meanwhile, could take a far more lively interest in the lives of their congregation.

Kids Count should be a call to action, involving elected officials, private organizations, churches and individuals. Leaders might look to other states for recommendations as to how to improve the lot of children here. There's no reason why Minnesota, Iowa and New Hampshire should be far safer and far healthier places for children than South Carolina.