This data biography includes information about who created this data, and how, where, when, and why it was collected. We (the Assessment, Policy Development, and Evaluation Unit at Public Health – Seattle & King County) created it to help you understand where the data comes from and its strengths and limitations. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at data.request@kingcounty.gov!

Who collects the data?

Public Health-Seattle & King County funded the University of Washington Social Development Research Group to collect the Best Starts for Kids Health Survey (BSKHS) data. The survey questions and methods were designed by Public Health – Seattle & King County, and the Social Development Research Group administered the survey.

Who owns the data?

Public Health – Seattle & King County is the owner of the data.

How is the data collected?

A random sample of King County households are invited to participate in a survey through mailed postcards and phone calls if they have infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or children in 5th grade (approximately ages 10-11) or younger. Eligible households are identified through data from birth certificates and public school district enrollment directories. 

There are two versions of the survey: one for households with a selected 0–5-year-old child, one for households with a selected kindergarten to 5th grade child. A specific child within each household is randomly preselected. Participating households are asked to have one adult from the household (usually the parent or guardian) answer questions about this  child, even if they have other children. 

The survey is population-representative, meaning that participants are randomly selected in sub-groups to ensure that all racial and ethnic groups, as well as all geographic regions of King County, are  represented in the survey results. 

The survey is available in multiple languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, and Somali. These languages were chosen because they are the most frequently spoken languages in King County schools.  

Who is included and excluded from the data?

There are some groups of King County children who are not represented in this survey, including:  

1) children who have moved to King County after birth and before they entered elementary school,  

2) children who attend private school, a tribal school, or are homeschooled, 

3) children whose households have opted them out of sharing their data in public school directory requests, and  

4) children whose households do not speak any of the languages in which the survey is offered. 

Where is the data collected?

Households who agree to participate can complete the survey by filling out a mailed paper or online form or be interviewed over the phone. The survey takes 20-30 minutes to complete.

Why is the data collected?

The Best Starts for Kids Health Survey fills a gap by population-level data on the health and wellbeing of King County toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children.  

Before this survey, no representative data were available on children between six months of age and 5th grade. This left a gap in knowledge about the baseline health of children and families and no data to assess changes related to Best Starts for Kids levy investments.  

How often is this data collected?

The data are collected approximately every two years.

What else is important to know about this data?

To ensure that the data we share better represent King County children, we use weighting when analyzing these data. Weighting is a statistical process used to adjust any demographic (e.g. race/ethnicity, age, or gender) imbalances between survey respondents and the broader population that they represent (for example, children in King County). This way, results will be generalizable to all King County children, not just those whose caregivers participate in the Best Starts for Kids Health Survey. This is a common approach used by nearly all large-scale population-based surveys. You can learn more about weighting here. 

Where can I learn more about this data?

• Review the English survey questions for children 0 to 5 years and children in kindergarten to 5th grade. Contact bsk.data@kingcounty.gov to request survey materials in Chinese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. 

• Data from the survey can be accessed and analyzed in this dashboard: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/initiatives/best-starts-for-kids/dashboards/bskhs-combined.aspx 

• Learn more about the survey if you were asked to participate: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/initiatives/best-starts-for-kids/survey.aspx 

About data privacy and security

Public Health – Seattle-King County takes data security and the privacy of all individuals represented in our data very seriously. Identifiable data are stored securely, and only authorized staff can access the data. Information is not shared when the number of people who are in that category is very small and individuals could be identified.