States and communities across the country recognize that creating a shared set of desired outcomes for young people provides the opportunity to take stock in how well children and teens are doing on national and local levels. While some of this data is available across time and states, much of it focuses on the negative indicators (e.g., teen births, substance abuse), revealing little about the development of positive competencies and attributes necessary for successful adulthood.

In Forum Focus: What Gets Measured, Gets Done, we scan a number of important efforts gaining momentum in recent years to develop and use positive indicators of child and youth well being. In research update, we review current efforts to develop and measure new indicators. In on the ground, we feature Vermont’s efforts to embed positive outcomes and indicators into data tracking, policy and practice across state agencies. In voices from the fields, we interview Kristin Moore from Child Trends and Bill O’Hare from the Annie E. Casey Foundation about the natural tensions between research and policy in developing and promoting positive social indicators.