Homelessness Data Set Quality Statement

Definition

Data Quality

Institutional Environment

The data presented in the Homelessness files is recorded by homelessness services funded by Dept of Communities and Justice (DCJ). These service providers are required to collect client data as part of the National Minimum Data Set for specialist homelessness services. DCJ has additional data requirements that providers must meet as part of their service contracts.

Timeliness

The reference period for data collected for the Homelessness dataset is for the financial year. Historical data is included in the assets. The data collection for clients of specialist homelessness services (SHS) fundamentally changed from 1 July 2011 impacting on the way clients are counted.  Prior to 1 July 2011 the data was collected via the SAAP (Supported Accommodation Assistance Program) data collection and from 1 July 2011 the data was collected via the Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) collection. Data prior to 2011-12 is not available.

Accessibility

Access to the Federated Analytics Platform (FAP) containing the NSW Homelessness client files is restricted to registered users in DCJ who require the data for internal analysis purposes. If the NSW Homelessness client files are intended to be used by external parties or for data linkage with DCJ or other external data sets, approval is required from the data custodian, Executive Director, Housing, Homelessness and Disability directorate. This can be arranged through contact with Systems and Performance team in Implementation, Performance and Stewardship branch. The Unit maintains a register of who has access to the Homelessness files and how the data shall be used.

Interpretability

For each reporting period, there are two separate files for conducting analysis of homelessness clients:

• NSW level
• DCJ District level (16 districts).

This separation allows the correct count of clients to be made at each level. The total district count of clients is always higher than the total NSW count of clients because some clients receive assistance in more than one district. The NSW file should be used for generating total results at the state level only. The district file should be used whenever more detailed district level analysis is required.

Metadata associated with Homelessness data tables is linked to this Data Quality Statement under the Homelessness Aristotle distribution.

Many fields in the data files have been developed using data collected as part of the National Minimum Data Set for specialist homelessness services. Please refer to the AIHW Collection Manual for detailed instructions providers must follow when recording data.

Relevance

The target population for the SHS program is:

• Young people (16 – 24 years)
• Single men (aged 25 years and over)
• Single Women (aged 25 years and over)
• Families

Beyond these four main client groups, other SHS program client groups can be identified by their cultural background, their particular circumstances and the reasons they seek support:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• People experiencing or escaping domestic and family violence
• People sleeping rough
• People leaving correctional facilities
• Young people leaving care
• Children under the age of 16

The response to the collection of the data sufficiently provides reliable information from the organisations that submitted data during the reporting period.

Accuracy

During the 2014-15 reporting period, changes were made to the CIMS (Client Information Management System) to prompt data providers to report mandatory data items. This led to a substantial improvement to data quality, in particular a decline in the number of non-response or ‘missing’ values for those items.

Accuracy of Indigenous Status Data

The accuracy of data held about Indigenous Status in current collections is poor for several factors. Firstly, the number of individuals indicating that they are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander may not be an accurate count, but an over- or under-representation depending on several factors. Secondly, the data quality of Indigenous Status is poor due to the variance and inadequacies of the question/s currently being asked to record Indigenous status.

The accuracy in the representation of Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islanders is determined by whether a person will or can identify as such on a data collection form. This is influenced by a number of factors, including the requirements of data collected, the reasons for the collection, who will have access to the information, who the collector is, the way it is collected, and the perception of why the information is collected. These factors are compounded by the structural systems of racism, which have led to power imbalances and relationships founded on mistrust.

The Department of Communities and Justice currently enacts program level Aboriginal identification guidelines, the variance in program guidelines impacts upon the capacity and willingness for an Aboriginal person to self-identify.

The current questions included in data collections to capture Indigenous status are also inadequate. Most commonly, this is seen as a Yes or No reply to Indigenous Status and provides very limited information. A person’s Indigenous status is more complex than a Yes or No reply. It is a starting point to seek more information about a person’s identity. It may be appropriate to collect additional information for example on Country, Clan, and Language affiliation.  This Information should only be collected for a defined and appropriate use for example to facilitate cultural connection of children with family and community.

To begin addressing these gaps, the Department of Communities and Justice, is implementing the Family is Culture Report, which will result in the re-design and collection of identifying Indigenous information as per Recommendation 77. This more detailed suite of questions will improve the quality of the data collected and be more likely to attract an accurate representation of people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Multiple projects are also underway across DCJ to address the recommendations made in the Family is Culture Report to increase both the practice and policy positions of DCJ in regard to the identification and de-identification of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. The recommendations have been made to increase consistency, improve practice and ensure the principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty guide the design of all future data elements.

NSW Government is committed to enabling the principles of Indigenous Data Governance as per the NSW Data Strategy . Aboriginal-led Governance structures will be formed as a result of the NSW Governments Commitment to the Family is Culture Report (Recommendation 2), and Closing the Gap, Priority Reform Four, Priority Key action Area 2 Closing the Gap, Priority Reforms.

Coherence

Changes in Homelessness data over time may be influenced by changes in underlying jurisdiction policies, programs or systems. These changes might affect the service footprint, the characteristics of priority clients, or how services work together to respond to client needs.

NSW homelessness services underwent a period of major transition in 2014-15 that affected continuity of reporting for some service providers. These issues did not affect NSW data from 2015-16 onwards. Caution should be used when making comparisons of 2014-15 data with other years’ figures for NSW or with data for other states and territories.