This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to the KIDS COUNT Data Center and show them how the center could help them review child well-being trends in their respective locales. Participants will review both good and bad trends in their locale and be able to compare local and state trends. Using the data center's 100 or so child well-being indicators from Virginia's 134 locales, attendees will not only be shown how to compare local trends against state trends but also to compare state trends against national or other state trends. Participants will be shown how to map the trend data and how to download it to spreadsheets, charts or to their computers for future reference. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops to learn how to maneuver within the KIDS COUNT Data Center.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to use KIDS COUNT Data Center to review the well-being of children in your locale
  
• Learn on which well-being indicators children improved in your locale over the last decade
  
• Learn on which well-being indicators children in your locale are at-risk
  
• Learn KIDS COUNT Data Center can help with writing community needs assessments when applying for federal substance abuse block grant funds