Changes in Australia Justin Griffin AIHW Australian

Changes in Australia Justin Griffin AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare What Currently Exists • • • Income combined with deprivation measures Income based measures - Social Policy Research Centre Administrative data from social programs, especially homelessness Homelessness count - population census NB: No poverty line 2

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare New or impending work New administrative data sets Developments with existing work New directions Improvements in quality 3

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Implementation of new data sets Problem gambling Community mental health support Indigenous housing Juvenile justice 4

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Existing Work Developments Final safety net program (for people homeless or at risk) until 2010 (SAAP) Data collection to support the program Turnaways data collected Better data on homeless (or at risk) children 5

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘Typical’ SAAP experience of 12 -15 year olds DURING SUPPORT Support: 11 days q Accommodation: 7 days q General support/ advocacy q Counselling Referral for: q Specialist services Unmet need for: q Assistance to obtain non-SAAP accommodation q BEFORE SUPPORT § § § Living with parent/s School student No income AFTER SUPPORT § § § Living with parent/s School student No income 6

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘Typical’ SAAP experience of 16 -19 year olds DURING SUPPORT BEFORE SUPPORT § § Living short-term with relatives or friends Living rentfree in a house or flat Not a student Youth allowance Support: 17 days q Accommodation : 10 days q Financial or employment assistance q Counselling Referral for: q Assistance to obtain non-SAAP accommodation q Financial or employment assistance q Unmet need for: q Assistance to obtain non-SAAP accommodation q AFTER SUPPORT § § Living with unrelated persons SAAP or other emergency housing Not a student Youth allowance 7

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ‘Typical’ SAAP experience of 20 -24 year olds DURING SUPPORT BEFORE SUPPORT § § Living with spouse, with or without child(ren) Boarding in a private home or SAAP/CAP accommodation Not a student Newstart allowance or Parenting payment Support: 6 days q Accommodation: 5 days q General support or advocacy q Counselling Referral for: q Assistance to obtain non-SAAP accommodation Unmet need for: q Assistance to obtain non-SAAP accommodation q AFTER SUPPORT § § Living alone Renting independently in the private market or SAAP/CAP Not a student Newstart allowance or Parenting payment 8

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Existing Work Developments (cont) New count of the total homeless population More integrated data, especially Indigenous and thematic data Co-ordinating related data 9

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare New Directions More integrated and thematic data (eg child health and welfare reporting) Data linkage -setup of a data linkage Unit and protocols Better meta-data and data standards (METe. OR) Design and rollout of electronic information management tools to NGOs 10

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Improvements in quality • Implementation of information agreements • Protocols development • Use of electronic data collection and information management • Imputation and weighting techniques to account for missing data • Equiping NGOs to manage information • Training 11