NCJ Number
219556
Date Published
2007
Length
185 pages
Annotation
This report presents the annual, updated KIDS COUNT Data Book reporting on the well-being of America’s children for 2006 and focuses on the needs and conditions of America’s most disadvantaged children and families, as well as the statistics and trends.
Abstract
The overriding picture that these 10 indicators present is one of little change since 2000. At the national level, only 4 of the 10 indicators of child well-being showed that conditions had improved since 2000, while child well-being worsened on 3 indicators, and conditions were unchanged on 3 indicators. Of the 50 states, only 15 states improved on more than 5 of the 10 measures used. Pre- and post-2000 trends are clearly illustrated by the changes in the rate of child poverty since the mid-1990s. Between 1994 and 2000, the child poverty rate fell by 30 percent. However, since 2000, the child poverty rate has inched up a percentage point. The outcomes for African-American children are worse on every one of the 10 indicators. The same is true for American Indian and Alaskan Native children when compared to non-Hispanic White children. The 10 key indicators of child well-being used are all derived from Federal Government statistical agencies and reflect the best available State-level data for tracking yearly changes in each indicator. The 10 indicators are percent low-birthweight 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 fulltime, year-round employment, percent of children in poverty, and percent of children in single-parent families. The data underscore the fact that thousands of children die every year and millions are at risk because of poverty, family structure, lack of parental employment, or risky behavior. The report presents the overall ranking of States based on all 10 indicators and each of the 10 indicators used to rank States is discussed separately. Tables, appendixes