Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics

1. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics Martha Moorehouse Director, Children and Youth Policy Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services June 2007

2. Forum's mission • To foster coordination, cooperation, and collaboration among Federal agencies and partners in the private sector. • To enhance and improve collection, reporting, and dissemination of Federal data on children and families.

3. The Forum’s history • Founded in 1994 with six Federal member agencies and OMB. • Formally established in April 1997 through Executive Order 13045. • Has grown to 22 Federal member agencies; two were added in 2006. • “Virtual” organization; one dedicated staff.

4. Forum members Nine Departments Agriculture Commerce Defense Education Health and Human Services Housing and Urban Development Justice Labor Transportation Three agencies Environmental Protection Agency National Science Foundation Office of Management and Budget

5. Committees of the Forum Forum members Planning committee Reporting committee

6. Main activities of the Forum • Publish America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being. • Sponsor workshops and meetings; participate in conferences and policy seminars. • Consult with Federal agencies and other partners about ways to improve data and close data gaps.

7. The America’s Children Report series • Highlights recent changes and long-term trends. • Draws attention to data gaps. • Encourages dialogue between data providers and policy communities.

9. America’s Children2006 9 measures of Population and Family Characteristics 26 indicators across 4 domains Economic Security Health Behavior and Social Environment Education

10. Criteria for indicators • Easy to understand by broad audiences; • Objectively based on substantial research connecting them to child well-being; • Balanced, so that no single area of children’s lives dominates the report; • Measured regularly, so that they can be updated and show trends over time; and • Representative of large segments of the population, rather than one particular group.

11. America’s Children2007 - 10th Anniversary Edition • Forum created an Executive Planning Group to conduct a comprehensive review of the Report. • Conceptual frameworks were reviewed. • Domains should remain broad to include: • Influences • Effects, and • Outcomes • Indicators

12. America’s Children 2007 Population and Family Characteristics – renamed as Family and Social Environment 4 Domains Kept Economic Security Health Behavior and Social Environment Education 2 Domains Added Physical Environment and Safety Health Care

13. Indicators were reviewed based on criteria • Data sources • Data quality • Measured regularly • Objectively based • Representative of large segments of the population • Easy to understand • “Key”

14. Additions (9) • Child maltreatment • Sexual activity • Lead in the blood of children • Drinking water quality • Oral health: Dental visits and dental caries • Asthma • College enrollment rates of high school completers • Child injury and mortality • Adolescent injury and mortality

15. Modifications • Food security and diet quality • Childhood immunization

16. Deletions – generally reflected changes in data collections • Child care • Higher education • General health status

17. Website ChildStats.gov

18. Additional Areas of Interest • Forum -Creation of a Research Committee -Adding to the web site to provide information on other reports children’s statistics by federal agency statistical reports on the web site • ASPE -State and local indicators