Report on Child Poverty in West Virginia. West Virginia Kids Count Data Book: 1998 County Profiles of Child Well-Being.

This Kids Count data book examines statewide and county trends in the well-being of West Virginia's children. Following a summary which describes overall findings, the bulk of the report presents the statistical portrait, based on 12 indicators of well-being: (1) percent of low birth weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate; (3) child death rate; (4) percent of eligible children served by Head Start; (5) percent of children approved for free and reduced school meals; (6) child abuse/neglect rate; (7) teen birth rate; (8) percent of births to unmarried teens; (9) percent high school dropouts; (10) juvenile delinquency case rate; (11) teen violent death rate; and (12) percent of births to mothers with less than a twelfth-grade education. Trends for data are indicated where appropriate, based on 1980 and 1996 data. Statewide, several indicators show improvement, while the rates of low birth weight babies and births to unmarried teens have increased. A special section on child poverty in West Virginia is also included. (EV)