Human Services Dataset

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Value of Linked Data - Human Services Dataset

The University of Sydney wanted to understand family with complex needs that include domestic and family violence (DFV), alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, and mental health (MH) issues. These issues have been identified as a national priority in ‘Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children’. Researchers recognised that these complex needs are considered key parental behavioural risk factors to children’s safety, and they want to further understand how these factors intersect with child protection and out-of-home care.

With funding from ANROWS, researchers used the Human Services Dataset to undertake an analysis of child protection involvement for NSW families with domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drug use and mental health issues. They recognised that linked administrative data provides a critical opportunity to build a broader understanding of the needs of these families and the services required to support them.

Achievements

The Human Services Dataset is used for many projects that focus on Vulnerable Children, Young Persons and their families. The research project, “Analysis of linked longitudinal administrative data on child protection involvement for NSW families with domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drug issues and mental health issues”, is just one example of the many approved projects using the asset.

It is one of the first projects to use the Human Services Dataset to understand complex needs and factors with child protection and out-of-home care. In February 2024, the research report was published on the ANROWS website. The project generates new evidence about the prevalence of complex needs and intersection for families with child protection involvement in NSW. It illustrates that there a potential need for policy and service delivery that addresses these issues using a coordinated approach.

Engagement

FACSIAR is responsible for the governance of the Human Services Dataset (HSDS). The HSDS provides a cross-agency view of how families interact with government services over time. It includes all individuals born from 1 January 1990 onwards who have received a service or contact from at least one of the NSW services included in the dataset (primary cohort); as well as their parents, family members, guardians and carers (secondary cohort). The HSDS comprises administrative data and provides a single longitudinal dataset of key service use and outcomes, a view of how families have interested with services over their lifetime. The governance includes the annual refresh of the asset and the processing of data use and access requests. This includes coordination with our data partner agencies from across NSW government, the Centre for Health Records Linkage (data linkage centre), the NSW Data Analytics Centre (data hosts). For HSDS linked with Commonwealth MADIP data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is our key stakeholder.

Department leading the project

NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR)