Our data empowers the advocates, allies and visionaries striving to transform children’s lives.

Data Informed Futures is a national initiative of UCLA’s Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities. We offer unique, neighborhood-level data and mapping about children’s well-being– throughout the course of their lives – that reveal geographic patterns of disparity and resilience. 

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We believe the search for equity is driven by data.

Data Informed Futures offers an advanced suite of four holistic measures that assess well-being and community context over the course of children’s lives. Our holistic data about distinct communities, along with our team’s expert coaching and facilitation of a national learning network, enables community leaders and partners to advocate for meaningful changes that improve children’s health and well-being. Our measurement systems enable community partners to monitor children’s development across their life-span and to develop policies and practices that help children reach their full potential.

Learn About Our Measures

Photograph of mother holding her child in the foreground with a children's picture book in focus in the background.

CHEQ

Childhood Experiences Questionnaire

0-5 Years: Early Life Experiences

Using the Child Health Experiences Questionnaire (CHEQ), parents provide important contextual information about children’s early experiences prior to kindergarten.

About the CHEQ

Photograph of a group of 7 smiling kids running down the hallway of their school with backpacks towards the camera.

EDI

Early Development Instrument

4-6 Years: Children’s Developmental Well-being

Using the Early Development Instrument (EDI), kindergarten teachers assess kindergarten readiness and children’s overall developmental well-being. The EDI reports on five domains of development: communication skills, language & cognitive skills, physical health & well-being, and emotional maturity, and is highly predictive of later academic success.

About the EDI

Photograph of four young kids sitting on a wall, all reading books or using electronic devices. Heads of children are omitted from the photo.

MDI

Middle-years Development Instrument

9-13 Years: Children’s Thoughts and Experiences

Using the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI), students share their thoughts and experiences inside and outside of school, providing important information about their psychological and social well-being.

About the MDI

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NNEI

National Neighborhood Equity Index

Community Factors Contributing to Well-being

Using the National Neighborhood Equity Index (NNEI) in combination with the EDI and MDI helps identify geographic areas of resilience despite challenges in neighborhood equity. The NNEI is a composite measurement of 11 equity challenges associated with health development in children. These indicators (from Census information) include social, educational and economic factors.

About the NNEI


 

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View our Data
Community Data & Maps
90
Communities
18
States
500,000+
EDI Records

 

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Data that drives new opportunities for change.

As revealing as our findings are, what’s critical is how our partners use them to create new and powerful narratives that facilitate change.

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Data Informed Futures Staff

Tyler Cole

Tyler Cole

National Training and Data Collection Coordinator, Data Informed Futures