RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A report concludes that the percentage of Virginia children living in poverty in 2010 was at its highest rate since 1998.

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The report from Voices for Virginia's Children says the total number of children living in poverty totals nearly 265,000, or 14 percent of children under 18 in the state.

The report released Tuesday will be presented to the General Assembly with recommendations.

While well below the U.S. rate, the childhood poverty number in Virginia has increased steadily since the start of the economic downtown in 2007, when it was 12.9 percent, according to the report.

In raw numbers, an additional 33,000 have been added to the rolls of children in poverty.

The poverty level for a family of four is defined as below $22,000 in annual income.