Integrating Federal Statistics on Children. Report of a Workshop (Washington, D.C., March 31-April 1, 1994)

Those who make and implement policies for children and families are seriously hampered by several features of the federal statistical system: categorical fragmentation, sampling strategies that follow adults and families rather than children, and lack of longitudinal data on children. This volume examines the adequacy of federal statistics on children and families. It includes papers on the relevant aspects of health care reform, family and community resources, interpersonal violence, the transition to school, and educational attainment and the transition to work. The Workshop on Integrating Federal Statistics on Children provided a forum for assessing strengths and shortcomings of existing and proposed federal statistical data sources for children and families. In particular, these data sources were assessed with respect to their capacity to fill the most pressing information needs of those who formulate, implement, and analyze policies for children. Papers from that workshop are anthologized here, and cover several types of data collection initiatives: (1) those designed to track the effects of major policy developments; (2) those designed primarily to explain the development and well-being of children, particularly across developmental transitions, such as school and work force entry, and with regard to the context of family, community, and government resources; and (3) those designed to access the incidence, sequelae, and consequences of relatively rare but developmentally salient events, such as child abuse and other forms of violence involving children. An introductory chapter highlights the common themes that emerged at the workshop. The next chapter provides a summary of the workshop presentations and discussion. The five workshop papers conclude the body of the report. Contains 267 references. (TS) Examines the adequacy of federal statistics on children and families. This volume includes papers on the relevant aspects of health care reform, family and community resources, interpersonal violence, the transition to school, and educational attainment and the transition to work.