Focusing Attention on Children's Health
s part of its goal of raising awareness of key children's health issues, the Foundation's Information Program launched an extensive program of surveys and research during 2005.
A California-wide Field Poll found that "the well being of children" ranked as the greatest concern of respondents across the board, outranking the war in Iraq, the economy, terrorism, and the well being of seniors, among other key issues. A survey of Bay Area parents identified "stress" as their top concern regarding their children.
Among the preteen age group, research with local school-based counselors also pointed to stress and family problems as significant issues affecting children ages 9 to 13. Focus groups with professional who work with Latino youth highlighted the culturally based issues with which these preteens also must cope. And the overall health of local preteens was documented in a new report. The Preteen Alliance, a collaborative that promotes the well being of local preteens, grew to more than 500 members.
The Foundations' innovative website, www.kidsdata.org, which tracks indicators of children's health over time, grew dramatically in content and use in 2005, as did www.kidscal.org, our online calendar of children's health events. Kidsdata.org was nominated for a Webby Award.
The Information Program also continued to support conferences and radio, TV and Web projects that promote children's health.
To complement the Foundation's grantmaking work in the area of preteens, the Information Program produced a booklet, Programs for Preteens: Grantee Partnerships that Work.
For information on other Information Program projects, see www.lpfch.org/informed/.