Child and Youth Well-Being

The following resources discuss child and youth well-being, including child, family, and community factors that impact well-being, as well as ways to improve well-being.

• State and local examples

America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being
Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (2018)
Presents annual statistics on more than 40 indicators in domains such as family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.

Analyzing State Differences in Child Well-Being
Foundation for Child Development, Annie E. Casey Foundation, & Population Reference Bureau (2012)
Lists child well-being indexes and compares States' results in areas including family economic well-being, health, safe/risky behavior, education attainment, community engagement, social relationships, and emotional/spiritual well-being.

Child and Youth Well-being
National Neighbors Indicators Partnerships
Provides publications, webinars, and information on State and local activities around the county targeting child and youth well-being.

Early Development & Well-Being
Zero to Three
Provides materials on bonding, healthy development, and other indicators of well-being for children ages three and under.

Flourishing Children Project
Child Trends
Highlights the development of the Flourishing Children Project, a major initiative by Child Trends to develop rigorous national indicators of flourishing among children and youth for inclusion in national surveys, research studies, and program evaluations.

Giving Child Well-Being Data a Work Out
Axford & Little (2014)
Journal of Children's Services, 9(1)
Explores the data gathered to examine children and youth well-being and focuses on supporting child welfare professionals with the research needed to improve outcomes and daily work functions. The report provides an unpackaged version of well-being data and describes the importance of accurately depicted data sets.

The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation, 2011–2012
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (2015)
Presents health and well-being indicators for children and families based upon the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health.

Housing and Child Well-being (PDF - 1,362 KB)
Marcal & Fowler (2015)
Washington University St. Louis, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Center for Social Development
Discusses the developmental consequences of housing instability and reviews available resources in homeless services, public housing services, and the child welfare system. It also identifies gaps in screening practices, service provision, and systems coordination, including recommendations for reducing housing instability and promoting child well-being.

Integrating Safety, Permanency and Well-Being Series
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (2014)
Intends to further the national dialogue on the topic of well-being and how incorporating and emphasizing well-being in child welfare can result in better outcomes for children and families and the overall child welfare system.

More Than Jobs: Providing Disadvantaged Teens and Young Adults With Healthy Relationship Skills as a Strategy to Reduce Poverty and Improve Child Well-Being (PDF - 5,069 KB)
Bouchet (2014)
The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Offers professionals the tools to support youth to form and sustain healthy and intimate relationships within their systems. The report highlights key factors such as supporting youth in completing education and workforce development as well as how to overcome social and economic barriers to ensure personal success.

Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Provides two learning modules to help participants understand, recognize, and prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACES). This training is available to anyone interested in learning more about ACES regardless of profession or educational attainment. 

The State of America's Children, 2017 (PDF - 1,464 KB)
Children’s Defense Fund (2018)
Summarizes the well-being of children in 2017 in 11 areas: child population, child poverty, income and wealth inequality, housing and homelessness, child hunger and nutrition, child health, early childhood, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, and gun violence. The report provides one-page summaries of child well-being in each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and nationwide in each of the areas.

Well-being of Children
Urban Institute
Provides research on topic areas related to child well-being, such as child care, health and development, economic well-being, and early education.

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