1. CASE STUDIES : CHILD INDICATORS IN NORTH AMERICA Dr. William O’Hare The Annie E. Casey Foundation

2. 3 INTER-RELATED INITIATIVES KIDS COUNT (STARTED IN 1990) MY FOCUS ON THIS PROJECT FEDERAL INTERAGENCY FORUM ON CHILD AND FAMILY STATISTICS (STARTED IN 1994 – FIRST REPORT 1997) FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT - CHILD WELL-BEING INDEX (STARTED IN 1999)

3. KIDS COUNT

4. OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION RATIONALE FOR KIDS COUNT OVERVIEW OF KIDS COUNT ACTIVITIES IMPACT OF KIDS COUNT

5. Key Ideas of Casey Foundation PURPOSE IS TO HELP BUILD BETTER FUTURES FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES BASED ON EARLY OBSERVATION THAT LEADERS AND DECISION- MAKERS WERE UNAWARE OF MOST BASIC FACTS ABOUT CHILDREN AND YOUTH DECISIONS MADE ON THE BASIS OF GOOD SCIENTIFIC DATA WILL GENERALLY PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN

6. PRE-1990 LANDSCAPE IN THE UNITED STATES; NO REGULAR DATA-BASED REPORTING ON CHILD WELL-BEING OCCASIONAL REPORT FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES – CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE OCCASIONAL REPORTS FROM STATE-BASED CHILD ADVOCACY GROUP CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND (CDF) REPORT- LIMITED PRODUCTION AND COVERAGE – TAINTED ORGANIZATION

7. KEY GOALS OF KIDS COUNT INITIATIVE INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN ELEVATE CHILDREN’S ISSUES ON PUBLIC AGENDA ENHANCE THE USE OF GOOD SCIENTIFIC DATA AS THE BASIS FOR DECISION-MAKING BY MAKING IT EASILY AVAILABLE

8. TWO STRANDS OF THE KIDS COUNT INITIATIVE NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS – YEARLY DATA BOOK – OTHER PUBLICATIONS – WEBSITE (WWW.KIDSCOUNT.ORG) NETWORK OF STATE GRANTEES – PUBLISH DATA ON CHILDREN – SEEN AS AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR CHILDREN

9. Characteristics of KIDS COUNT Reports (“Branding”) Statistical data on children Simple Presentation State and local focus Yearly publication

10. EVIDENCE OF OUTREACH AND DISSEMINATION

11. Perceived Characteristics of KIDS COUNT Among Those Familiar with KIDS COUNT Timely Clear and Understandable Credi ble Useful Relevant to Policy Makers Respected by People with Differing Political Views State Legislators83%98%93%88%85%55% State Legislative staff82%88%92%88%84%55% State Legislative Leaders88%92%89%81%84%69% Data Users99%96% 90%91%80% Business Leaders and County Officials were not asked this set of questions

12. IMPACT OF KIDS COUNT Use of demographic data for distribution of SCHIP funds Welfare Reform - Stipulation that if state child poverty level changes by more than 5%, states need plans to correct situation No Child Left Behind - extensive use of data 16 states have started Children’s Cabinets since 1990

13. FEDERAL FORUM ON CHILD AND FAMILY STATISTICS

14. BUILDS OFF KIDS COUNT SUCCESS BRINGS 22 FEDERAL AGENCIES TOGETHER THAT PRODUCE DATA ON CHILDREN YEARLY RELEASE OF “AMERICA’S CHILDREN” REPORT (NOW REDUCED REPORT EVERY 2 ND YEAR) LEAD OTHER DATA INITIATIVES- FATHERHOOD DATA

15. FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT CHILD WELL-BEING INDEX REPORT

16. FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT – CHILD WELL-BEING INDEX BUILDS OFF AMERICA’S CHILDREN DATA COLLECTION USES DATA TO CALCULATE AN INDEX OF OVERALL CHILD WELL-BEING FROM 1976 ONWARD YEARLY RELEASE METHODOLOGY USED TO LOOK AT DIFFERNCES BY (RELATED REPORTS BRANDING – MINORITIES – AGE – GENDER

17. MAJOR DISTINCTIONS KIDS COUNT FOCUSES – STATE DATA – RANKS STATES – HEAVY MEDIA OUTREACH AMERICA’S CHILDREN – USES NATIONAL DATA ONLY – IS THE VOICE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT – NO BROAD ASSESSMENT OF CHANGES – LITTLE MEDIA OUTREACH FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT – USES NATIONAL DATA ONLY AND BUILDS INDEX OF OVERALL CHILD WELL-BEING CHANGES OVER TIME.

18. QUESTIONS