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No two places in the state are alike in terms of the condition of their children, according to Children Now's 2010 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being, a new online research and advocacy tool. The Scorecard measures the core components of child well-being across California 's 58 counties and provides a visual fingerprint for each county's results. The uniqueness of each fingerprint is clearly evident. Twenty-six data indicators of child well-being comprise each county's fingerprint. The color values of the indicators-red (bottom third), yellow (middle third), and green (top third)-are determined by each county's performance relative to the state's other counties. Additionally, county fingerprints and performances on every indicator are grouped by county population density and per capita income in order to promote the discovery of best practices in serving children's needs. For example, on the indicator "Children who are in a healthy weight zone," Lassen (76%) and Siskiyou (75%) counties are significantly leading other low-income, rural counties, with Colusa (61%) and Imperial (61%) counties falling behind. The Scorecard provides complete, individual county profiles that include current standings, trend data, and breakdowns by race/ethnicity for every indicator. Indicators cover children's health, education and safety, providing a comprehensive picture of children's interrelated developmental needs. An accompanying online discussion group encourages knowledge sharing. |