Measuring Сhildren’s Subjective Well-Being in Russia: Local Practices and Federal Strategies

Abstract

The article highlights approaches defining and operationalizing the notion of children‘s subjective well-being in Russia. The paper employs empirical data on the use of children's well being indicators in the work of 69 state-run and private sector organizations dealing with social orphanhood and supported by Timchenko Foundation in 2016-2018. The authors provide examples of tools developed in the applied social projects to assess subjective well-being in children, including those not allowing a verbal expression of opinions. The paper discusses factors impeding a switch from measuring children’s subjective well-being within local social practices/projects and organizations to a larger scale. The authors give recommendations on designing domestic or adapting foreign indices of children’s well-being at higher levels (regional, federal).