Abstract
Despite a proliferation of initiatives using statistical indicators to promote better public understanding of child well-being around the world, little information has been generated about the impact of such projects. This paper provides readers with information about the impact of one such project in the United States, KIDS COUNT. A short overview of the history, rationale, and activity of the KIDS COUNT project is provided prior to presenting data regarding the impact of the project. The data show that KIDS COUNT Data Book receives extensive media attention when it is released each year. Among seven key audiences (Congressional staff, state legislators, state legislators’ staff, state legislative leaders, business leaders, county officials, and data users) half or more of each group said there were aware of the KIDS COUNT initiative. Most of those who are aware of KIDS COUNT have positive perceptions about it as being timely, clear, credible, useful, and relevant to policymakers and respected by people with differing political views. A large share of each group says they use the KIDS COUNT data for a variety of applications. Most respondents say they think KIDS COUNT has had an impact on public awareness of children’s issues and an impact on public policy.
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Notes
For more information about the International Society for Child Indicators, see website at www.childindicators.org
To learn more about the KIDS COUNT initiative, including access to all publication, to www.kidscount.org
See, for example, Guthrie et al. 2005 and The Evaluation Exchange; “A Periodical on Emerging Strategies in Evaluation,” Harvard Family Research Project, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, Volume XIII, Number 1, Spring 2007.
For the results of media attention for each KIDS COUNT Data Book since 2001, go to www.kidscount.org
Reports on leadership groups perceptions of KIDS COUNT are available online at the URLs below:Business leaders—www.aecf.org/kidscount/pubs/business_leaders.pdf Data users—www.aecf.org/kidscount/pubs/internet_based.pdf County Officials—www.aecf.org/kidscount/pubs/county_officials2005.pdf State legislative leaders—www.aecf.org/kidscount/pubs/kidscount_final_12_17_04.pdf State legislators and staff—www.aecf.org/kidscount/pubs/state_legislators_04.pdf Congressional Staff—www.aecf.org/upload/PublicationFiles/congressresearchsum.pdf
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O’Hare, W.P. Measuring the Impact of Child Indicators. Child Ind Res 1, 387–396 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-008-9018-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-008-9018-2