For the 8th year, "Newark Kids Count 2005" paints a statistical portrait of city children, who are born with so much promise and given so few chances to fulfill that promise. As the city, and indeed the state, labor to build a child welfare system that keeps children safe and families together, everyone must remember that real children lie behind these disturbing statistics. For more than two years, Newark's community of child advocates, social workers, teachers and parents have worked together in an effort to create neighborhood hubs that would help Newark families. Called "community collaboratives," this effort is a linchpin of the state's sweeping plan to fix New Jersey's child welfare system. Without strong support in their own backyards, families and children will continue to fall between the cracks. For many reasons, community efforts in Newark and other cities have been slow to weave the promised blanket of support that could make life better for so many Newark children. But, with continued commitment and a deeper understanding of the problems that Newark families face, it is possible to improve the outlook for these children and families. The Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) hopes this report helps to do that. A glossary is included. [For "Newark Kids Count 2004: A City Profile of Child Well-Being," see ED519887.]