Researchers in many fields agree. The physical, social, and economic health and well-being of adults and society as a whole are strongly influenced by the early experiences of children, when the foundation for effective cognitive and social skills and abilities are developed. Children who have developmental delays or disabilities require and often…

This report discusses the increasing incidence of divorce and unwed parenthood in the United States, arguing that the "divorce revolution" of the last several decades has created terrible hardships for children, generated poverty within families, and burdened the nation with unsupportable social costs. It calls for a fundamental shift in cultural…

This report provides information on 12 indicators of child and adolescent health, education, and economic status in West Virginia at the state and county level. It includes a state profile, a minority profile, and 55 county profiles. Each of the indicators is discussed on a state-wide basis. The bulk of the report consists of one-page county…

Statistics are presented for eight measures of child and adolescent health, education, and social and economic well-being in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Indicators measured were: (1) percent low birth weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births); (3) child death rate ages 1-14 (per 100,000 children); (4)…

This report addresses the sources and remedies for child poverty in the United States through a review of the effects of trends, policies, and changes in social relationships; and an analysis of data concerning poverty and children. An introduction sketches the present condition of children in poverty and the policies and attitudes of the past 30…

This "report card" grades the state of education, health, special needs services, and economic security among Illinois children in 1993. Illinois ranked 38th out of the 50 states in financial contribution per student for education, but had a high disparity in revenues per pupil at the county level, thus earning a "D+" grade for…

Minnesota KIDS COUNT focuses on key risk indicators for children and describes the condition of children in each of Minnesota's 87 counties. According to this second annual report, another generation of children is at risk of growing up with decreasing resources, evidenced by increasing arrest rates for violent crimes and substantiated reports of…

This 1997 Minnesota Kids Count report examines child poverty and changing demographics in the state of Minnesota, and focuses on nine risk indicators for the years 1991 through 1995 in Minnesota's 87 counties. Following a discussion of myths and truths about poverty in Minnesota and a look at demographic changes in the state from 1990 to 1995,…