Resources
For those interested in learning more, Kidsights Data is developing multiple resources. Currently, resources include reports and publications and news. Check back as we add more.
Reports & Publications
A data brief published in June 2026 from Kidsights Data at the University of Nebraska Medical Center highlights the unique challenges Nebraska families face when raising young children with special needs, revealing significant barriers related to child care access, financial stability, and family well-being.
Drawing on more than 2,500 responses from parents in Nebraska with children birth to five years collected through the Kidsights Data survey, the brief examines the experiences of families whose children require additional services such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy, as well as those receiving treatment or counseling for emotional, behavioral, or developmental concerns.
A new brief published in May 2026 from Kidsights Data at UNMC highlights the connection between parents’ mental and emotional well-being and healthy child development. Based on survey data from Nebraska families with children from birth to age five, the report shows that while most parents report good mental health, many still experience symptoms of anxiety or depression. Social support through family, friends or community resources emerges as a key factor in helping parents manage the daily pressures of raising young children.
When parents have strong support systems, both they and their children are more likely to thrive. The findings show that access to social support varies across families, with higher rates of anxiety and depression reported in rural communities and among those with fewer economic and educational resources, even as rural parents also report strong community ties. Children whose parents experience depressive symptoms are more likely to face behavioral and self-regulation challenges. These insights, drawn from families across Nebraska, point to the importance of strengthening policies and programs that connect parents to the support they need.
Parental Mental Health, Social Support and Child Development in Nebraska
A new brief published in March 2026 from Kidsights Data at UNMC highlights how financial hardship affects young children’s development. Based on data from more than 2,500 Nebraska families with children ages birth to five, the report shows how access to basics like food and housing shapes early outcomes.
When families can meet basic needs, children are better able to grow and learn, but financial strain creates stress that can disrupt development. The findings show hardship is widespread and uneven, with families without a college degree more likely to face challenges. Even moderate difficulties, like limited food choices or occasional trouble paying for housing, can impact development. These insights, drawn from families across urban and rural Nebraska, help identify opportunities to better support families statewide.
Population-based measurement of early child development generates new insight into the emergence of disparities in the earliest years of life. New data published in June 2025 shows that the Kidsights Measurement Tool can validly and reliably measure child development through an online parent-report survey.
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood is the first state agency to leverage the Kidsights Measurement Tool, the nation’s first population-based system that tracks core developmental skills in children from birth to age five. By utilizing the Kidsights Measurement Tool, this study delivers new insights into key developmental trends among young children enrolled in the Colorado Universal Preschool program. This brief, published in April 2025, highlights the unique data collected, the partnership’s significance and the key findings that have not previously been explored at this scale.
Colorado Universal Pre-K Students Show Accelerated Growth, Surpassing Peers by Kindergarten Entry
This data brief published in November 2024 explores how parents from diverse cultural backgrounds in Nebraska perceive early psychosocial development in young children. Through focus groups and surveys, the findings highlight key behavioral challenges and underscore the importance of parental support and mental health in shaping children’s emotional and social growth.
In this brief, published in July 2024, findings from Kidsights Data and First Five Nebraska highlight 3 key aspects of children’s environments that impact the early childhood development of infants and toddlers. These findings can inform policy decisions to support Nebraska families with young children and improve developmental outcomes.
Building the Future: Understanding Key Influences on Infant and Toddler Development in Nebraska
This brief, published in December 2023, explores how different users at the state, city or county, and large scale program levels may benefit from the use of the Kidsights Data Measurement Tool to gather population-level data on child development.
Understanding Possible Users as a Pathway Towards Sustainability and Impact
This research article, published in October 2023, examines the psychometric validity evidence from 45 items under consideration for inclusion in the GSED PF.
Psychometrics of Psychosocial Behavior Items Under Age 6 Years: Evidence from Nebraska, USA
A first-of-its-kind report, published in June 2023, Kidsights Data now has evidence on child development that generalizes to the population of Nebraska children.
Tools
The Kidsights Data: A Guide on Preparation, Implementation and Use provides a comprehensive overview for partners using the Kidsights Measurement Tool to uncover population-level insights into child development. Designed for those at the start of their Kidsights journey, it outlines the process of collecting data, interpreting findings and sharing results with key audiences like policymakers and community leaders.
The People and Partnerships Worksheet, a communications ecosystem audit tool, is a technique to help establish an understanding of key stakeholders with relevant influence in a defined geographic area. The Worksheet will guide a process to think about and document the people and organizations that are the key stakeholders with influence in the assessment area.
These marketing examples could be recreated to recruit parents to take the Kidsights Data survey. Examples are provided in both English and Spanish.
News Stories
Read stories about Kidsights Data.