Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring SystemSystem

Joyce Cleary & Linda HayesStatewide Outcomes for ChildrenJoyce Cleary

November 2008

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Policy context…

In 2005 GVT reinforced a commitment that ‘the wellbeing of children will improve’

In 2006 the Government announced $1.7m to ‘promote strategic research and the measurement of children’s health and wellbeing across the state.

In 2004 the Premier’s Children’s Advisory Committee recommended that Government

• establish the Office for Children ‘to ensure a stronger policy focus is given to the development of all children’

• ‘define outcomes for Victoria’s children and the best ways to measure these, including overall performance measures for the outcomes achieved for Victoria’s children’

Statewide Outcomes for Children was established in March

2005 as part of the new Office for Children in DHS

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Victorian Child and Adolescent Outcomes Framework

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

What is VCAMS?

• The Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring System enables us to report on how children 0 to 18 are faring in the domains of health, safety, learning development and wellbeing against the Outcomes Framework

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

VCAMS – Key Components

1. System Development• Ensure there are valid indicators relevant to children’s

safety, health, development, learning and wellbeing• Ensure that each indicator has a solid evidence base

2. Administrative Data• Maximise the utility of administrative data

3. Annual Data Collection Program• Undertake annual data collection process to address

data gaps across government• Annual program will focus on priority population and

priority issues

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

VCAMS – Key Components

1. Data Linkage program• Maximise current databases through the use of data

linkage

2. Analysis and Reporting• Undertake relevant analyses and develop timely and

useful reporting mechanisms

3. Data Accessibility• Ensure data are available for appropriate policy,

planning and evaluation activities for all levels of government

• Enable data to be available for researchers through appropriate privacy procedures

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Selecting the VCAMS indicators:

• Worth measuring• Measurable for diverse population• Understood by people who need to act• Relevant to policy and practice• Reflect results of actions• Feasible to collect and report• Comply with national processes of data

definitions• Directly relate to the Outcomes Framework

for Victorian Children

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Inputs Products Audiences

Outcomes Framework

Victorian Child & Adolescent Monitoring System

NGO/Uni DataEg ABS, Survey of RecentMothers, Vic Injury SurvevUnit, Community Indicators

Administrative DataDHS, DEECD, DoJ,DPCD, VicPolice

New CollectionsEg: VCHWS, Local Level survey, Aboriginal Child Survey, Adolescent Survey

Other CollectionsEg: School Entrant Health Questionnaire, Victorian Population Health Survey

Government• State• Local• National

Others• NGOs• Advocacy groups• Other interest

groups

Researchers• Universities• Community

experts

Annual Reports

Community Profiles

AboriginalCommunity Profiles

Topical bulletins,journal articles, etc

Communities• Schools • Child Care

providers• Health providers• etc

VCAMS monitors and reports on the safety, health, learning, development and wellbeing of children and young people in Victoria

• 150 indicators

• Data analysis for policy & planning

• Regular reporting

Web based data access

VCAMS

VCAMSVCAMS

Strategies for Improving Outcomes for Children: Catalogue of evidence based interventions

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Legislated reporting on how children are faring

Child Wellbeing and Safety Act (2005) established the Children’s Services

Coordination Board to review annually and report

to the Minister (for Children) on the outcomes of Government actions in

relation to children, particularly the most

vulnerable children in the community

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Community profiles bring the outcomes data to a local level

City of Elsewhere

2006

City of Elsewhere

2006

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Accessing data by jurisdiction

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Recap: What does VCAMS offer?• A suite of 150 indicators with a solid evidence base• A new understanding of outcomes (not outputs)• A whole of government approach• More informed decision making

– Better identification of priorities– Better targeting of resources

• Know how we are tracking over time– Monitor trends– Identify emerging issues

• Know if we’re making a difference – program / policy evaluation

• Drive the agenda for children and young people across government

• Respond to and inform COAG

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

Room for further development

• Data sharing agreements

• Data standards

• Remove perception of risk

Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination

What has worked well

• Legislation

• Governance

• Outcomes Framework

• Evidence base

• Strategic collaborations