KIDS COUNT and Policy Reform

Improving the lives of millions of children by advancing sound policy reforms informed by evidence and data. KIDS COUNT® (LA INFANCIA CUENTA™) provides legislators, public officials and child advocates with reliable data, policy recommendations and tools to advance policies that benefit children.

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Our Work in KIDS COUNT and Policy Reform

To bring our strongest work to scale, we need to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of our strategies to decision-makers, public systems, other funders and national organizations. As our research and evaluation work ensures that our ideas are grounded in sound data, Casey’s policy reform and advocacy partners ensure that lawmakers and community leaders around the country have the facts and analysis they need to create sound policies to improve the lives of millions of children and families.

Supplying reliable demographic and well-being data

The KIDS COUNT Data Center maintains the best available data and statistics on the educational, social, economic and physical well-being of children. With data at the local, state and national levels, the Data Center features hundreds of indicators, many of which examine the effects of poverty and race on child outcomes.

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The KIDS COUNT Data Book is an annual ranking of states on 16 key measures of child well-being. The Data Book also highlights important trends, such as the growing issue of income inequality or the improving health and educational achievement of U.S. students.

View the KIDS COUNT Data Book

Special reports, data snapshots and infographics link state-level data to relevant policy and practice solutions aimed at improving the lives of children and families.

Promoting sound policies and effective responses to longstanding and emerging issues

The KIDS COUNT organizations in each state advocate to prioritize children, particularly those from low-income families, on the public agenda. In addition to building relationships with lawmakers and state leaders, these grantees are highlighting child well-being data for their respective communities.

To guide decision makers and advocates in employing effective solutions, Casey regularly issues nonpartisan policy recommendations on pressing issues.

The Foundation’s network of state-based advocates works to raise the visibility of children’s issues, particularly poverty and its effects on lifelong outcomes.

Investing in the capacity of child advocates to create sustainable change for children and families.

KIDS COUNT is working with experts across the country to document what makes a child advocacy organization effective. 

Recognizing child advocates must use many tools to move others to action, we provide ongoing opportunities for peer learning across the network, particularly for leadership development, communications and data development. 

Current Strategies

KIDS COUNT Data Center and Data Book

Ourwork initiatives datacenter

Our signature resources tracking the well-being of children over time and across states in order to provide high-quality, unbiased information and encourage action on behalf of kids and families.

KIDS COUNT Network

Ourwork initiatives kidscountnetwork

A group of child advocacy and research organizations representing every state and using data to promote smart policies on issues ranging from child welfare and juvenile justice to education and economic opportunity.

Related Resources

2024 Race for Results

Race for Results measures children’s progress on the national and state levels by racial and ethnic groups. Read about child well-being.

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