Well-measured and consistently collected indicators of child and family well-being can be used for a variety of purposes. Indicators may be used for five purposes: (1) describing the circumstances of America's children; (2) monitoring outcomes; (3) setting goals; (4) providing outcomes-based accountability; and (5) evaluating programs. To meet the thirteen criteria for indicators of child well-being, indicators should: (1) provide comprehensive coverage of outcomes, behavior, and processes; (2) cover children of all ages; (3) be clear and comprehensible; (4) include positive as well as negative outcomes; (5) assess dispersion across given measures, children's duration in a status, and cumulative risk factors; (6) have a common interpretation among varied population subgroups; (7) be consistent in meaning over time; (8) be forward-looking to provide baseline data for future trends; (9) use rigorous data collection methods; (10) be geographically detailed at the local, state, and national levels; (11) be cost-efficient; (12) reflect social goals to allow tracking progress in meeting national, state, and local goals; and (13) be adjusted for demographic trends to aid interpretation. A system of indicators meeting the demanding criteria is slowly becoming a reality. (KB)