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About PPN

The Promising Practices Network (PPN) is dedicated to providing quality evidence-based information about what works to improve the lives of children, youth, and families.  More »

The PPN site features summaries of programs and practices that are proven to improve outcomes for children. All the information on this site has been carefully screened for scientific rigor, relevance, and clarity.  More »

PPN KIDS COUNT Pages

Take action!  Use research to improve your work!


KIDS COUNT logo

As citizens, service providers, and policymakers, we need evidence-based information on programs, practices, tools and resources to help us improve the outcomes seen in statewide KIDS COUNT data. These PPN KIDS COUNT pages provide information that can help you make a difference in your community.

These pages are part of a demonstration project supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We thank the Annie E. Casey Foundation and participating state organizations for their support in making these pages possible.

Below are links to information about the high priority areas for the states represented by the three demonstration project participants. Following the links to the three participants are tools and resources that may be useful in putting KIDS COUNT data into action.

Demonstration Project Participants


Georgia Family Connection Partnership

Iowa's Child and Family Policy Center

Kansas Action for Children


The purpose of the PPN KIDS COUNT pages is to match service providers and policymakers with information that can help them improve outcomes seen in KIDS COUNT data in various states. For information on participating in future PPN KIDS COUNT projects, contact us at promisingpractices@rand.org.


Resources and Tools

The uses of KIDS COUNT data are many. One way that people use KIDS COUNT data is identifying areas of concern and setting priorities for investment, intervention, and policy development. The resources described below may help practitioners translate KIDS COUNT data into action.


Resource Kit for KIDS COUNT Projects, KIDS COUNT Network Publication.
Primarily geared toward KIDS COUNT grantees, this publication includes Data, Communications, and Technology Resources, that may be useful to anyone who works with KIDS COUNT data.

Using Data for Assessment, Planning, and Evaluation, Georgia Family Connection Partnership, 2005.
This Power Point presentation reviews the potential uses of KIDS COUNT data, important considerations for interpreting and reporting data, and how to access the different formats that KIDS COUNT data is available (e.g., Profiles, Line Graphs, Maps, and Raw Data). Though the presentation specifically provides information about Georgia, the steps shown to access KIDS COUNT data are the same for all states, and the tips provided are useful for anyone who works with KIDS COUNT data.

Putting Data to Work to Improve Child Well-being, Casey Family Programs. February 2007.
This report from a Roundtable meeting held in October 2006 shares examples and guidance on using data to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system. The lessons learned in the realm of the child welfare system can be applied to other areas of child well-being.

Using Data to Shape Health Programs for Youth, National Adolescent Health Information Center, 2004.
Using the context of adolescent health, this issue brief outlines ways data can be used for assessment, program design, evaluation and policy analysis.

O'Hare, William (2008). Measuring the Impact of Child Indicators, Child Indicator Research.
This article presents findings on the impact of the KIDS COUNT initiative.

An Overview of State-Level Data on Child Well-Being Available through the Federal Statistical System, Child Trends, May 2007.
This paper provides an overview Federal sources of state-level data on social indicators for children. Twenty-one major survey and administrative data sources are summarized and discussed. The data provided by these sources, along with KIDS COUNT data, provide a comprehensive picture of the status of children's well-being in the U.S.

Visit PPN's section on Service Delivery for supplemental information on putting research into practice. The Service Delivery section include guidance and tools for developing and maintaining community partnerships, service integration, program implementation, program evaluation and outcomes monitoring, and results-based decision-making.

The Uses (and Misuses) of Social Indicators: Implications for Public Policy, Child Trends, February 2003.
This research brief describes the uses of social indicator data for describing identifying issues, monitoring trends, setting goals, increasing accountability and informing practices. The proper use of this type of data is discussed, along with examples of ways the data is sometimes improperly used.


More About KIDS COUNT

KIDS COUNT, a national and state effort funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, tracks the status of children in the U.S. and publishes a national data book each year. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children.