The important and critical role played by informal carers of
people with disabilities will receive greater prominence under new
national data collection arrangements announced by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare today.
The new data collection arrangements are for the
Commonwealth-State Disability Agreement, which will be renamed the
Commonwealth-State/Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA) once
negotiations have been finalised. In 2000-01 the program involved
$2.5 billion of public expenditure.
A major difference is that under the new arrangements data will
be collected throughout the year whereas previously information was
collected on a single 'snapshot' day.
Head of the AIHW's Functioning and Disability Unit, Ros Madden,
said that this would provide better information on the numbers and
characteristics of people receiving services, and the patterns of
service provision delivered.
'This is especially relevant given the importance of the CSTDA
program to people with disabilities and to their carers. A strong
evidence base is a vital element in developing good national
policy', Ms Madden said.
During the data redevelopment process, all parties involved with
the agreement and its administration took the opportunity to fine
tune the types of information needed to keep the data collection
relevant to the current disability services field.
'This is where the extra information on carers comes in. In
recent years we have all seen the growing recognition of the
critical role informal support networks play in assisting people
with disabilities within the community. The needs of ageing carers
are now firmly on the national policy agenda.'
'With this improved data collection we will be able to have a
more detailed information profile on carers and the relationships
between informal care and the provision of services. And we'll be
able to do this while preserving the strictest standards of privacy
and confidentiality.'
The disability data redevelopment process involved intensive
consultations with stakeholders, CSTDA service users, carers, and
disability peak organisations. Hundreds of CSTDA-funded agencies
were involved in field testing of the data set throughout its
redevelopment to ensure practicality of the collection.
24 April 2003
Further information: Ms Ros Madden, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1189,
0407 915 851; Chrysanthe Psychogios, AIHW, tel. 02 6244
1068.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.