Results & Indicators

We all want what is best for our children and each of us, including parents, frontline professionals (teachers, clinicians, social workers, nurses, probation, policemen, to name a few), child advocates, service associations, legislators and state and local program administrators and policy-makers, represents a thread in the safety net for our children. As family and community members, we must decide what is necessary for our children to grow and thrive, and how we can measure our success.

Accountability


Being accountable for every Maryland child requires indicators that can adequately describe the status of children statewide and in each of Maryland’s jurisdictions (23 counties and Baltimore City). Over the last 10 years Maryland, similar to many states realizing how crucial it is to count and gauge the progress of children in several areas, has chosen eight areas to describe child well-being:
  • Babies born healthy
  • Children completing school
  • Children entering school ready to learn
  • Children safe in their families and communities
  • Children successful in school
  • Communities that support family life
  • Healthy children
  • Stable and economically independent families

Statewide indicators


Statewide indicators have been selected for the first seven result areas while each jurisdiction develops indicators for communities that support family life. It is through these measures that the state and each jurisdiction can measure well-being for its children, develop a strategic plan for children and family services, and communicate the successes and challenges of its efforts to reach the overall vision.

All Maryland’s children will be successful in life


Each of us must also look at the programs and services available to our children to be certain that they are making a real impact in the lives of the children. In addition to statewide measures of well-being for the child population as a whole, we must also look for results from programs and services that show us that the children and families receiving services are healthy, well-educated, and safe.

Taken together, these results, including both population-based measures (known as population accountability) and client-based measures (known as program accountability), form the foundation on which we build our strategy to improve Maryland's schools, neighborhoods and cities. To learn more about Results Accountability, please view the implementation guide or fiscal policy studies online.

This web site is dedicated to the health and well-being of our children, the families who raise them, and the communities that support their growth. If we focus our attention on indicators of health and well-being, and wisely use information that shows us whether we are improving the status of our children, then we are taking positive steps to ensure a bright future for all children.
  • What is a result? A goal that Maryland has established for its children, families, and/or communities.
  • What is an indicator? Information that demonstrates Maryland's progress toward meeting a result.

Using Maryland's results, indicators


The Maryland's Children's Cabinet, in cooperation with local jurisdictions, strives to meet the needs of Maryland's children, families and communities. Through this collaborative approach, each jurisdiction identifies and focuses on results and indicators that are priorities in their community. The information on this website assists in tracking and evaluating the well-being of children across the state and in each local area.

For more information, visit the Maryland Governor's Office for Children.