Your Annual Report: Where does it go? Scott Briant Data, Outcomes and Evaluation

Data, Outcomes and Evaluation Relatively new area in the Department –All the data areas from across the Department brought together –Includes the former Statewide Outcomes area The Division has as its purpose to increase access and the strategic use of data to assist staff at all levels to make informed decisions to improve outcomes for children and young people. Work with Head Office and Regions and Service providers on how evidence is used to improve service delivery Small team focusing on Early Childhood, but working across the Division

Unlocking the value in your Annual Report

Some purposes Funding and accountability Planning – responding to the “baby boom” Policy development – Key issues for Key Ages and Stages Whole of Government Reporting, eg Growing Victoria Together – progress reporting Research

Making sense of all this data - some highlights

Number of active infants has increased

Over 100,000 increase in the number of MCH visits since 2000/01

That’s sitting and standing room in the Melbourne Cricket Ground

That growth has helped meet the demands of the “baby boom”

Whether a “baby boom” or bounce this growth has impacted on service demand Post war baby boom Current “baby boom”

Growth in births is likely to continue Australian Bureau of Statistics

Participation rates by Aboriginal children are lower than that for all children – why?

Participation rates vary across Local Government Areas To a low of 71%

Where are the highs and lows 4 month visit participation rate Blue – High, Red - Low

The role of data quality Can a Local Government Area have over 300 more home visits than birth notifications? How much of the difference in participation rate for Aboriginal children is due to poor identification? Does no data on the Annual Report form for a question mean no services delivered? The data is used to understand current and future issues for MCH services – poor quality data will limit this.