Development of the Children's Services National Minimum Data Set (CSNMDS)
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This web page provides you with general information on the development of the Children's Services National Minimum Data Set (CSNMDS).
Contents
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The need for a CSNMDS
Accurate information on the provision and use of child care and preschool services in Australia is essential for the planning and policy development of children's services.
However, no comprehensive nationally comparable collection of information on children's services exists in Australia.
A number of organisations currently collect information on children's services. These include:
- the Australian Government and individual states and territories that collect data on children's services that they provide, fund or support within their jurisdictions; and
- the Australian Bureau of Statistics that collects information on child care in regular household surveys.
As all of these data collections are undertaken at different times, collect different information and use different data definitions, they cannot simply be added together to provide what is needed - a national picture of child care and preschool service provision in Australia.
The proposed outcomes of a CSNMDS
A national data collection will provide a picture of children's services in Australia, by using administrative data to answer the following questions:
- How many children are receiving child care and preschool services in Australia?
- What are the characteristics of these children?
- How many child care and preschool services are there in Australia?
- Where are these services located and what type of activities do they provide to children?
- How are the available child care and preschool activities being used by children?
- What are the characteristics of workers delivering child care and preschool activities, especially in terms of their qualifications and experience?
The CSNMDS will provide a better picture of preschool services and their links with child care services.
It is hoped that once it is implemented, the CSNMDS will also reduce the number of data collection forms to be completed by services that are funded by more than one government department, saving services valuable time and resources.
Scope of the CSNMDS
The CSNMDS covers most, but not all, children's services. It covers services defined as child care and preschool services which receive Australian or state/territory government funding. Government funding of children's services may be in the form of capital grants, operational funding, per capita funding and/or funding to reduce charges to parents (e.g. the Child Care Benefit).
The CSNMDS will not cover 'full-time primary education services' for children, or services which are solely funded by local governments.
Playgroups, toy libraries and other activities that require the attendance of both the parent/guardian and the child are also excluded from the scope of the CSNMDS.
Information collected in the CSNMDS
Administrative data will be used to collect information on:
- how the child care or preschool service operates;
- the people who work with the service; and
- the children who use the service.
The specific information to be collected about each of these areas is listed below.
Service: |
Worker/caregiver: |
Child: |
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People involved with the development of the CSNMDS
A working group, comprised of representatives from each of the Commonwealth and state and territory children's services departments, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Productivity Commission, was established to develop the course of the project.
This working group's title was the Children's Services Data Working Group (CSDWG).
Under the direction of the Working Group, the AIHW was responsible for the development of the data items and data collection forms for any pilot tests.
The AIHW also performed a secretariat role for the Working Group, which as well as supporting meetings, involved the technical roles of designing, conducting and analysing pilot tests under the guidance of the Working Group.
The AIHW was also responsible for writing and disseminating reports, with the endorsement of the Working Group.
History of development
Some of the major milestones in the development of the Children's Services National Minimum Data Set (CSNMDS) have been:
In 1999, the AIHW in collaboration with the then Department of Family and Community Services published a report examining data definitions and classifications in various children's services and other relevant data collections in order to inform the development of an NMDS.
In 2000, the AIHW developed a Children's Services National Minimum Data Set Data Manual and field tested this manual with various children's services.
In August 2002, the AIHW conducted the first pilot test of the Children's Services National Minimum Data Set. To read further about this, please follow the link to the Phase 1 pilot report.
During 2004, the AIHW incorporated the feedback and results obtained from the first Pilot Test into a revised Data Manual which was tested in the 2004 Pilot Test. To read further about this, please follow the link to the Phase 2 pilot report.
As a result of this second pilot test, the CSNMDS was further refined.
In June 2005, the CSDWG met for the last time and endorsed the final CSNMDS.
In July 2005, the NCSIMG endorsed the CSNMDS.
In August 2006, the Community and Disability Services Ministerial Advisory Council (CDSMAC) provided funding for a cost/benefit analysis of implementing the CSNMDS.
In February 2007, the final report on the development of the CSNMDS was published. To view this report (including the CSNMDS specifications), please follow the link.
A feasibility study into the implementation of the CSNMDS is currently being undertaken by the AIHW. Further information on this study can be found by following the link to implementation of the CSNMDS.
Last reviewed by on 26 November 2007