In 1998, the Foundation for Child Development (FCD) provided Kenneth Land a grant to explore the feasibility of producing the first national composite index of the status of American children that would chart changes in their well-being over time. Important questions needed to be answered: was it possible to trace trends in child and youth well-being over several decades? Could such an index provide a way of determining whether the United States was making progress in improving its children’s lives? The Index of Child and Youth Well-Being (CWI) was born from these questions. Viewing the CWI trends from 1975 to present, there is evidence that the well-being of American children lags behind other Western nations. As conditions change, it is clear that the index is an evolving and rich enterprise. This volume attests to that evolution, and what the CWI promises for understanding the progress – or lack of progress – in enhancing the life prospects of all American children. ​

This report presents nationwide data on the well-being of U.S. children. The statistical report is based on indicators of child well-being such as family income and mortality rates. The first part of the report, "Population and Family Characteristics," presents data that illustrate the changes that have taken place during the past few decades in six key demographic measures including children as a proportion of the U.S. population, family structure, and difficulty speaking English. The second part of the report, "Indicators of Children's Well-Being," presents data on 26 key indicators in the following areas: (1) "Economic Security," including family income, secure parental employment, housing, and access to health care; (2) "Health," including activity limitation, infant and child mortality rates, and immunization rates; (3) "Behavior and Social Environment," including substance abuse, and youth victims and perpetrators of serious violent crimes; (4) "Education," including family reading to young children, and youths neither enrolled in school nor working; and (5) "Special Features," which covers blood lead levels, and child care. For each background measure in the report's first section and for each indicator in the second section, three types of information are presented: a short statement about why the measure or indicator is important to understanding the condition of children, figures showing important facts about trends or population groups for each indicator, and highlights with information on current status, recent trends, and important differences by population groups noted. Two appendices contain detailed tables of data and data source descriptions. The report notes that several indicators show an improving picture of the well-being of most children, but those living below the poverty line continue to compare unfavorably with those above the poverty line, and there is also disparity in well-being for different race and ethnic groups. Death rates among adolescents and birth rates among adolescent females have declined; there has also been a decline in the rates for which youths 12 to 17 were either victimized by serious violent crime or perpetrated violent crime; substance abuse, however, has increased. (HTH)