The Role of Social Indicators in Developing a Managing for Results System

Monitoring change over time is an important aspect of results-oriented management. Social indicators provide information on trends in the conditions of children, families, and communities. In Delaware, the social indicator program known as Families Count is a building block in the state's development of a managing for results system. This article describes the development, use, and institutionalization of the Families Count program in Delaware. Then, the Families Count indicators are discussed in the context of Delaware's current and planned alignments and linkages of strategic plans, performance measures, and program evaluations. The article concludes by identifying the lessons learned, considering the implications of the Delaware experience for the role of social indicators in a results-oriented system, and stating remaining challenges for the success of this system.