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April 2015Vol. 16, No. 32014 National Child and Youth Well-Being Index

The Duke University Center for Child and Family Policy recently released its annual Child and Youth Well-Being Index (CWI) report, which includes an analysis of key national indicators and trends from 1975 through 2013. The CWI incorporates data across seven domains:

  • Family economic well-being
  • Safe/risky behavior
  • Social relationships
  • Emotional/spiritual well-being
  • Community engagement
  • Educational attainment
  • Health

The following are a sample of key trends discussed in the report:

  • The overall composite scores for 2012–2013 are trending upward.
  • Family economic well-being has improved slightly from 2010 through 2013.
  • Children and youth continue to exhibit or be exposed to fewer unsafe or risky behaviors including teenage births, violent crime victimization, smoking, and binge drinking.

The 2014 report includes the new Child Suffering Index, which assesses the barriers to children's well-being and happiness. The CWI report is available at http://childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Child-Well-Being-Report.pdf (3 MB).