Harnessing the Power of Open Data for Children and Families

At the request of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which funds the KIDS COUNT network, the authors conducted research to explore how these state data efforts couldbring greater benefits tolocalcommunities. Interviews with child advocates and open data providers confirmed the opportunity for child advocacy organizations and state governments to leverage open data to improve the lives of children and families. But accomplishing this goal will require new practices on both sides.

The research includes a brief, with details from the interviews with child advocates and open data providers, as well as two fact sheets. One describing five steps that states can take and five steps that child advocates can take to advance child well-being through open data. There is a supplemental open data portal scan from a selected number of state governments.