Population Wellbeing:
Data needs for social
policy
Outline of presentation
• Outline the purpose and policy context of FaCSIA
• Highlight some trends in policy thinking and their
implications for how we collect and use data
• Illustrate these principles in relation to some
current policy interests of FaCSIA
• BUT…not seeking to attempt to articulate a
coherent framework:
• The draft family framework is offered here as a
point of discussion
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
FaCSIA’s purpose
• Improving the lives of Australians
by helping to build the capacity and wellbeing of
individuals, families and communities
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
FaCSIA’s strategic themes - 1
• Maximising economic and social participation
including through business, community and other
partnerships
• Focussing on early intervention, especially for
children and families
• Assisting those who are most disadvantaged
• Achieving better outcomes for Indigenous
Australians
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
FaCSIA’s strategic themes - 2
• Responding to intergenerational change
• Balancing rights and responsibilities in the design
and delivery of government assistance
• Providing and supporting Whole of Government
leadership
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Policy perspectives - 1
• A focus on disadvantage
• A dynamic view of policy issues - pathways and
transitions
• An interest in influencing behaviour – promoting
personal responsibility and self-reliance
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Policy perspectives - 2
• An appreciation of interactions between different
spheres of policy – social and economic; health
and welfare; employment and wellbeing; work and
family
• A recognition of the changing environment –
ageing population, different family dynamics,
flexible labour market
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Some questions about data gaps
• What data is missing, that could help us answer policy
questions?
• Is the data we have in the right form to answer policy
questions?
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Collecting items together from different domains
Linking data from different sources
Understanding dynamics (ie, the time dimension)
System views, and drilling down to capture diversity
and observe effects
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
FaCSIA’s response to data gaps
• Administrative Data Sets
• Based on Centrelink payment data
• Longitudinal with fortnightly panels
• Linkages – internal, related data, survey data
• New policy insights
• Lone parents with multiple spells on income support
• Long term welfare dependence of teenage mothers
• Outcomes for children of income support mothers
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Longitudinal surveys
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HILDA – Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in
Australia
LSAC – Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
•
Longitudinal surveys can also be used understanding
dynamics – i.e., the time dimension.
•
Multi domain – allowing researchers to explore
interactions between different spheres of policy interest
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Longitudinal data
•
Specifically, data from longitudinal surveys can be used to:
i. Make distinctions between transitory and persistent
characteristics (e.g., poverty or wealth);
ii. Study flows between states (e.g.,
employed/unemployed);
iii. Conduct studies of intergenerational consequences
such as poverty and dependence;
iv. Estimate change surrounding certain events (e.g.,
health status before and after marital separation); and
v. Estimate more sophisticated behavioural models.
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Longitudinal data and policy analysis
• Longitudinal data can contribute to our understanding of dynamic
policy issues.
• For instance, the HILDA survey indicates that in 2001, 13.2% of
individuals were classified as being ‘in poverty’.
• However, the HILDA survey can be used to examine the
persistence of poverty between 2001 and 2003. For example,
3.4% of individuals were classified as being poor in all three years.
• Moreover, nearly one-fifth (~20%) of individuals were poor in at
least one year.
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Examples of data gaps
• Missing data
• Indigenous identified data
• Sample views
• Families
• Data views
• Child Care data with outcomes
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Indigenous identified data
• Australia’s biggest social policy challenge
• Data to support policy is not strong
• Heavy reliance on Indigenous identifiers in
data collected for other purposes
• Need to:
• Improve Indigenous identification in
survey and administrative data
• Collect Indigenous specific data
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Views of families
• Currently, data is collected on families
residing in a single household
• What is missing:
• Non-intact (or separated) families
• Dependent children not at home
• Dependent elders not at home
• Adults ‘living apart together’
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Linking child care to outcomes
• Currently, industry data and usage data
• But can’t measure key outcomes
• Impact on labour force participation
• Impact on child development
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy
Conclusion
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FaCSIA is making a substantial effort to address current data gaps
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Current longitudinal surveys and administrative data provide a rich
source of information that can be used in policy development
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There is, however, a case for collecting additional data to respond
to our emerging policy challenges, such as:
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Indigenous identified data;
Non-intact (or separated families); and
Linking child care data to outcomes.
Research and Analysis Branch Population Wellbeing: Data Needs for Social Policy