VCAMS Portal User Guide
1. Purpose
The purpose of this document is to assist with the navigation and use of the Victorian Child and
Adolescent Monitoring System (VCAMS) portal.
As this is an introductory and evolving document, feedback is welcomed and encouraged to ensure it
is helpful to users.
To provide comments or seek additional assistance, please email [email protected]
2. Portal overview
The VCAMS portal enables the user to view data at a Local Government Area (LGA) or regional area,
where available, and at State level. Upon entering the VCAMS homepage, users can scroll through
the relevant domain boxes to select the VCAMS indicator they wish to view.
Viewing data
Key features within the indicator view:
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LGA or regional data are highlighted on a heat map where available.
Users can compare data for a LGA or region with state data via the ‘Select LGA/Region’ drop
down menu.
Users can filter for breakdowns such as age group, gender, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
populations, and Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE).
3. How to navigate through the VCAMS portal
Please note: the VCAMS portal does not allow the use of ‘forward’ and ‘back’ arrows on their web
browser. A ‘Return to Start’ button is available in the lower right hand corner of each dashboard
which will return you to the VCAMS homepage at any stage.
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4. Viewing data within the VCAMS portal
Step 1: Click on a VCAMS indicator link within one of the domain boxes to view data on the
indicators; the Child, the Family, The Community, and Support Services. Each domain box has a
scrolling bar where users can access additional indicators related to the domain.
(Note: the Community category currently has no indicators available).
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Step 2: The Indicator dashboard will display results at a State level within the indicator data table
and the indicator chart. A heat map also allows you to quickly compare results across all LGAs (See
section 5).
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Step 3: You can refine results by using filters available on each dashboard. The availability of filters
will vary depending on data available for that indicator. All breakdowns within the ‘Show Results by’
filter only shows breakdowns at the State level unless otherwise stated.
When selecting an LGA/Region, you will notice that data tables will change to reflect the LGA figures
while the chart will show the LGA/Region figure (grey column) compared to the state average (blue
square). Hovering over the items in the chart with the mouse will also display figures.
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Step 4: Each indicator page has an ‘Additional Indicator Information’ section within the dashboard.
Hovering over this text allows you to view high level information about the indicator. For further
details on an indicator, scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find links to data
spreadsheets along with more detailed information on the indicator.
5. Using the heat map
The heat map within the indicator page reflects the values for all LGAs/regions for a given year. You
can change the year selected by using the heat map filter. Hovering over a LGA/region within the
heat map allows you to quickly see values for a specific LGA/region.
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Heat maps can be manipulated in a number of different ways. When hovering over a heat map,
several icons appear in the top left corner of the heat map; zoom, select, home and pan. These are
designed to assist with navigation and data usage including zooming in and out, and returning the
map to its initial state. Descriptions of these icons are provided below.
Zoom: zoom in on a map view to see more detail.
Select: select marks in a map view to identify a subset of the data.
Home: restore the map view to its original state.
Pan: click and hold your mouse button until the pan icon appears to move your view of a map up and down as
well as left and right. This is particularly useful when you have zoomed in and want to move the map around to
see other areas of interest.
6. Exporting data
To export data follow the numbered steps below:
Step 1: Select the “Export” function from the toolbar at the bottom of each dashboard. Select Image
or PDF, depending on the file format you require.
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Step 2: Follow the prompts provided to select relevant features for image or PDF to be exported.
Step 3: Select the ‘Download’ option to ensure you export your Image or PDF.
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7. Additional features
Revert All
Reset the data for the entire Dashboard by clicking on the 'Revert All' icon (highlighted here in blue)
at the centre of the bottom of the screen. This will remove all the filters that may have been applied.
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