Federal Interagency Forum on
Child and Family Statistics
Martha Moorehouse
Director, Children and Youth Policy
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and
Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
June 2007
Forum's mission

To foster coordination, cooperation, and
collaboration among Federal agencies and
partners in the private sector.

To enhance and improve collection, reporting,
and dissemination of Federal data on children
and families.
The Forum’s history

Founded in 1994 with six Federal member
agencies and OMB.

Formally established in April 1997 through
Executive Order 13045.

Has grown to 22 Federal member agencies;
two were added in 2006.

“Virtual” organization; one dedicated staff.
Forum members
Nine Departments
Agriculture
Commerce
Defense
Education
Health and Human Services
Housing and Urban Development
Justice
Labor
Transportation
Three agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
National Science Foundation
Office of Management and Budget
Committees of the Forum
Forum members
Planning committee
Reporting committee
Main activities of the Forum

Publish America’s Children: Key National
Indicators of Well-Being.

Sponsor workshops and meetings; participate in
conferences and policy seminars.

Consult with Federal agencies and other partners
about ways to improve data and close data gaps.
The America’s Children Report series

Highlights recent changes and long-term
trends.

Draws attention to data gaps.

Encourages dialogue between data providers
and policy communities.
America’s Children 2006
9 measures of Population and Family Characteristics
26 indicators across 4 domains
Economic Security
Health
Behavior and Social Environment
Education
Criteria for indicators

Easy to understand by broad audiences;

Objectively based on substantial research connecting
them to child well-being;

Balanced, so that no single area of children’s lives
dominates the report;

Measured regularly, so that they can be updated and
show trends over time; and

Representative of large segments of the population,
rather than one particular group.
America’s Children 2007 - 10th Anniversary
Edition

Forum created an Executive Planning Group
to conduct a comprehensive review of the
Report.

Conceptual frameworks were reviewed.

Domains should remain broad to include:
– Influences
– Effects, and
– Outcomes
– Indicators
America’s Children 2007
Population and Family Characteristics – renamed as
Family and Social Environment
4 Domains Kept
Economic Security
Health
Behavior and Social Environment
Education
2 Domains Added
Physical Environment and Safety
Health Care
Indicators were reviewed based on
criteria
Data sources
Data quality
– Measured regularly
– Objectively based
– Representative of large segments of the
population
Easy to understand
“Key”
Additions (9)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Child maltreatment
Sexual activity
Lead in the blood of children
Drinking water quality
Oral health: Dental visits and dental caries
Asthma
College enrollment rates of high school completers
Child injury and mortality
Adolescent injury and mortality
Modifications
Food security and diet quality
Childhood immunization
Deletions – generally reflected changes
in data collections
Child care
Higher education
General health status
Website
ChildStats.gov
Additional Areas of Interest
 Forum
-Creation of a Research Committee
-Adding to the web site to provide information
on other reports children’s statistics by federal
agency statistical reports on the web site
 ASPE
-State and local indicators