Counting Young Children in the 2030 Census: Setting a Research Agenda
Young kids have been undercounted at higher rates than any other age group in recent censuses. PRB recently convened a small group of researchers, advocates, and policy folks to ask a simple question: what do we still need to know to get this right?
Specific research gaps highlighted during the discussion included:
- Limited qualitative research on parental/caregiver decision-making about whether to include their young children in the census, particularly in complex or shared living arrangements.
- Insufficient evaluation of how administrative records perform for children across different programs, states, and demographic groups.
- Little systematic evidence on how different communications strategies may influence the inclusion of infants and young children.
- A lack of timely research that aligns with the Census Bureau's operational decision points.
Learn more about the research gaps and potential solutions:
https://www.prb.org/resources/counting-young-children-in-the-2030-census-setting-a-research-agenda/
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Mark Mather
Associate VP
PRB
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