The 2007 Child Well-Being Index
Stalled Progress, Persistent Gaps: How Can We Improve the Lives of America’s Children?
Event
The annual release of the Child Well-Being Index (CWI) provides a research-based look at the status of children in the United States over 30 years. The CWI is commissioned by the Foundation for Child Development and provides policymakers and the public with a tool to monitor the well-being of children nationwide.
The data cut through the headlines and conventional wisdom to offer a multi-faceted portrait of the quality of life of our children. The index addresses questions such as "Are American children doing better or worse than they were in 1975? By how much? In what areas?" by tracking quantifiable indicators including childhood obesity, the poverty rate, suicide rates, and violent crime rates.
The index's release is intended to spark public discussion about the lives of American children and youth and the factors that contribute to their quality of life, including physical health, educational attainment, social relationships and spiritual and emotional well-being.
At this event, hosted by the New America Foundation’s Workforce and Family Program, the results of the 2007 Index were presented by Duke University researcher Dr. Kenneth Land. Following the presentation, David Gray moderated a distinguished panel of experts discussing the survey results, and the important question of “Where do we go from here?”
Video of the event is available at right; an MP3 audio recording is available below.
Location
Participants
Featured Speakers
- Dr. Kenneth Land
Coordinator, Child and Youth Well-Being Index Project
Duke University - Dr. Carol Brunson Day
President
National Black Child Development Institute - Dr. Ruby Takanishi
President
Foundation for Child Development
Moderator
- Rev. David Gray
Director, Workforce and Family Program
New America Foundation
Respondents
- Mary Bissell
Fellow
New America Foundation - David Bradley
Founder and Executive Director
National Community Action Foundation - Dr. Patrick Fagan
William H.G. Fitzgerald Senior Research Fellow
Heritage Foundation - Charles Kamasaki
Executive Vice President
National Council of La Raza