NCJ Number
211294
Date Published
2005
Length
197 pages
Annotation
This report presents data pertinent to the current status (2005) of and trends in children's well-being in America.
Abstract
The purpose of this annual assessment of children's well-being is to provide ongoing benchmarks for States to use in measuring how the well-being of their children has progressed or regressed over time. The 10 key indicators selected as directly relevant to children's well-being are as follows: percent low-birth-weight babies; infant mortality rate; child death rate; teen death rate; teen birth rate; percent of teens who are high school dropouts; percent of teens not attending school and not working; percent of children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment; the percent of children in poverty; and the percent of children in single-parent households. Data on these 10 indicators are all from Federal Government statistical agencies and reflect the best available State data for tracking annual changes in each indicator. The most recent figures are compared with corresponding data from 2000, in order to assess trends in each State. The report notes that at the national level, only 3 of the 10 indicators of child well-being have improved since 2000, while children's well-being worsened on 5 indicators and remained unchanged on 2 indicators. This report shows the overall ranking of States on the well-being of their child residents based on all 10 indicators. Each of the indicators is discussed separately. Appended supplementary information and data