Data Exchange
A Partnership Approach to reporting outcomes
Working collaboratively with the sector to facilitate innovation in service delivery
and produce better outcomes for the community.
Overview
As part of this new way of working, the Australian Government has implemented improved
programme performance reporting processes in grant agreements. We have introduced standardised,
prioritised and collaborative reporting processes across many of the Department of Social Services’
(DSS) grants programmes from 1 July 2014.
DSS has streamlined reporting requirements, automated reporting processes and is working with
service providers to shift the focus of performance measurement from outputs to more meaningful
information about service delivery outcomes.
This means moving away from relying only on the number of services or activities delivered and who
received them, to measuring the benefits that your client received. These benefits will differ from client
to client and can include outcomes such as changes in knowledge, behaviour, goal attainment or
client circumstances. It’s important to remember that we can’t forget about outputs all together, as
they provide important information needed to effectively measure outcomes. We just need to make
sure we get the balance right.
Example
A project aims to improve literacy rates in children. Thirty reading courses were delivered over ten sessions.
The project was a success as client literacy for the group increased by 40%. However, we need output
information (age and gender of clients) to know that on average males in the 5-9 age group are only achieving
5% improvement. This is less than the rest of the group and suggests that the service delivery strategy may
need to be adjusted to address the needs of this cohort.
Under this new approach to reporting, data requirements are divided into two parts: a small set of
mandatory priority requirements that all funded services report and an optional extended data set that
providers can choose to share with the Department known at the partnership approach.
The partnership approach is intended to be a genuine collaboration between Government and the
sector to exchange knowledge and share resources to inform service delivery.
This fact sheet outlines the simple and easy ways that the extended data in the partnership approach
can be shared with the Department. It also outlines the benefits each organisation will receive from
the Department in exchange for this valued information.
Data Exchange
Key principles of the partnership approach
This approach is geared towards building the evidence base about the effectiveness of DSS
programmes and sharing this knowledge back with providers to inform best practice approaches to
service delivery. In practice, this means:
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Participation in the partnership approach is entirely voluntary and there will be no negative
consequences if a service provider decides not to participate
Providers are encouraged to participate on the basis that they may already be collecting most of
the extended data or that it would not be burdensome to collect this additional data
Providers who volunteer will have access to reports focused on outcomes data generated
through the partnership approach, including de-identified matched data from other DSS
programmes and service providers as well as data from government data sets and follow-up
client surveys
Access to this rich picture of client outcomes and service trends will be made available to
providers via a suite of self service and DSS generated reports.
The extended data set will be supported within the Data Exchange web-based portal for those
organisations wishing to use it. It will also be able to be extracted from an organisation’s own
(compatible) data capture tools using bulk uploads and system to system transfers to the
Data Exchange.
The extended data requirements of the Partnership Approach
This small set of extended data requirements is focused on outcomes, exchanging information related
to:
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Client needs and circumstances: these provide the context for interpreting outcomes data such
as the reason for seeking assistance, referral source, household composition, and income
source. By knowing this important context information, we will have a better understanding of who
achieved what outcomes under what circumstances, and we will be better placed to replicate this
success.
Client outcomes: these are reported in terms of client satisfaction; progress in achieving
individual client goals; and changes in client circumstances.
By opting-in to the partnership approach, service providers agree to collect and report the additional
data items for as many clients as possible, with flexibility to accommodate situations where it is not
feasible or appropriate to collect particular data items. In exchange, DSS will agree to regularly report
back additional data on client pathways and outcomes using de-identified matched data from other
DSS programmes and service providers as well as data from government data sets and follow-up
client surveys.
As part of the partnership approach, service providers will be able to use a new approach to record
client outcomes known as SCORE (standard client outcomes reporting), which is designed to assist in
measuring client change linked to service delivery over time. Providers who already use their own
outcomes measurement tools can continue to use them, and only need to convert the results to be
reported using the SCORE approach. Further information on SCORE is available in Using SCORE to
report outcomes fact sheet.
Data Exchange
What does this mean for my organisation?
The implications of volunteering to participate will vary for organisations, depending on their current
practices and internal systems for collecting and recording outcomes information. In general,
organisations that choose to participate will:
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commit to using their best endeavours to report a small set of additional data items related to
outcomes for each client-level unit record—ideally using data that is already collected as part of
existing service and case management practices
have the flexibility to negotiate relevant arrangements for opting-in—recognising that it may not
be feasible or appropriate to provide the full extended data set in all circumstances
continue to have the flexibility to collect and record outcomes data using existing outcomes
instruments, methods and practices—with providers simply reporting this information to DSS in a
standard format known as SCORE. This means that if you are using particular tools, such as the
‘Outcomes Star’, you are encouraged to continue doing so and simply report the extent of client
change to DSS at a natural pre- and post-assessment point using SCORE.
Organisations that choose to participate will also have access to additional outcomes data generated
through the partnership approach—which service providers will be able to use for their own internal
business planning and reporting.
If your organisation chooses not to voluntarily participate, you will only be required to collect and
report the mandatory priority requirements.