  Child Impact Statements (CIS) are instrumental in helping to foreground the
concerns and needs of minor community members who are too young to vote and
often unable to advocate for themselves politically. While many politicians and
policymakers assert they make decisions in the best interests of children, they
often lack the necessary information to meaningfully accomplish this. CISs are
akin to Environmental Impact Statements in that both give voice to constituents
who are often under-represented in policymaking. This paper highlights an
interdisciplinary collaboration between Social Science and Computer Science to
create a CIS tool for policymakers and community members in Shelby County, TN.
Furthermore, this type of collaboration is fruitful beyond the scope of the CIS
tool. Social scientists and computer scientists can leverage their
complementary skill sets in data management and data interpretation for the
benefit of their communities, advance scientific knowledge, and bridge
disciplinary divides within the academy.
