SHS data definitions

This is collected because:

• It provides reason(s) why a person presents to a specialist homelessness agency to seek assistance.
• This is important information which is used to better understand clients and why they are in need of assistance and the services agencies provide in response to their needs.

How to complete

• This focuses on the client’s perspective of why they requested assistance from your agency as opposed to the underlying reasons or causes which may have built up over a lifetime.
• Record all reasons the client provides.
• You do not have to ask the client about every category on the list. It may be sufficient just to ask the client why they are seeking assistance.
• If a child becomes a client ONLY because they receive the same services as their parent/guardian, do not record the reason of the parent/guardian as this is usually not appropriate for the child. Record Other and specify ‘WITH PARENT’ or ‘WITH GUARDIAN’.

Response definitions

Financial difficulties

• The client sought assistance because they had insufficient money to pay for accommodation, food, bills or other essentials.
• The client has adequate financial resources but has difficulties managing these resources.
• The client doesn’t have the financial resources to meet rental commitments.

Housing affordability stress

• The client sought assistance as a result of the current rent on the leased property being too high.
• The client is having difficulty meeting mortgage repayments, creating stress with general living expenses.

Housing crisis (e.g. eviction)

• The client was formally evicted from their previous accommodation arrangement (for example, by a landlord or public housing official).
• The client was asked to leave their previous accommodation (for example, they were asked to leave by flatmates).

Inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions

• The client sought assistance as a result of household stress from overcrowded, unsuitable or unsafe dwelling conditions.

Previous accommodation ended

• The client’s previous accommodation was no longer available (for example, the break-up of a group home or rental property being sold by owner).

Time out from family/other situation

• The client needed some time away from their family or needed some time away from non-related individuals.

Relationship/family breakdown

• The client sought assistance because of the dissolution of a spouse/partner relationship or other family relationship.

Sexual abuse

• The client sought assistance as a result of sexual abuse inflicted on the client by a family member or non-related individual.

Domestic and family violence

• The client sought assistance as a result of physical or emotional abuse inflicted on the client by a family member.

Non-family violence

• The client sought assistance as a result of physical or emotional abuse inflicted on the client by a non-related individual.
• The client sought assistance as a result of violence or a threat of violence inflicted by a non-related individual.

Mental health issues

• The client sought assistance because of a mental health issue.
• This does not include a situation in which the client sought assistance as a result of another person’s mental health issues.

Medical issues

• The client sought assistance because of any conditions that are, or have been, treated or diagnosed by a health professional.

Problematic drug or substance use

• The client sought assistance as a result of their drug-related problem.
• This does not include a situation in which the client sought assistance as a result of drug abuse by another person.

Problematic alcohol use

• The client sought assistance as a result of their alcohol-related problem.
• This does not include a situation in which the client sought assistance as a result of alcohol use by another person.

Employment difficulties

• The client is experiencing difficulties or changes to their employment that negatively impact on their ability to work or on their life outside work.
• Includes cases where employment difficulties are creating current or future financial problems, such as: difficulty maintaining employment; recently losing employment, or a change in employment conditions, such as reduction in pay/hours and so forth; bullying or harassment; unsafe employment conditions (that is, health safety risks); or unfair or illegal workplace practices/conditions (such as excessive workload, inflexible hours).

Unemployment

• The client sought assistance because of difficulties obtaining or maintaining employment and is currently unemployed.

Problematic gambling

• The client was homeless or sought assistance because they had insufficient means to cover the cost of living as a consequence of a one-off instance or an ongoing gambling problem.

Transition from custodial arrangements

• The client was recently released from a custodial institution such as a prison or detention centre.

Transition from foster care/child safety residential placements

• Child safety placements include a range of services provided to children and young people under 18 who are in need of care and protection.
• This service provides alternative overnight accommodation for children and young people who are unable to live with their parents.
• These arrangements include foster care, placements with relatives or kin, and residential care.

Transition from other care arrangements

• The client was recently released from a care institution such as a hospital or disability care arrangement.

Discrimination, including racial and sexual discrimination

• The client was homeless or sought assistance because of discrimination based on their sex, age, race, religion or other personal attributes.

Itinerant

• The client was moving from place to place or had no fixed address.

Unable to return home due to environmental reasons

• The client is unable to return home due to environmental reasons (for example, wet season flooding, bushfires).

Disengagement with school or other education and training

• The client sought assistance because of their difficulty with engaging within their education or training, creating difficulties for the client to establish connection with community and develop skills that will help them find future employment.

Lack of family and/or community support

• The client has no family or community support structure and this has led them to seek agency support.

Other

• The client sought assistance for a reason not included above, for example:
  • as a result of their sexuality or sexual identification
  • they recently arrived in the area (from another town or another country) and had nowhere to stay.
• Specify the reason in the space provided.

Don’t know

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information.

This is collected because:

• Where a client has given more than one reason for seeking assistance, it is important that the main reason for seeking assistance can be identified.

How to complete

• Record the main cause of the client seeking assistance from your agency.
• If the client has only given one reason for seeking assistance, record this reason as the main reason for seeking assistance.
• If the client has given more than one reason for seeking assistance, ask which is their main reason for seeking assistance.
• If the client has given one or more reasons for seeking assistance you should not be recording Don’t know as a response.
• If a child becomes a client ONLY because they receive the same services as their parent/guardian, do not record the reason of the parent/guardian as this is usually not appropriate for the child. Record Other and specify ‘WITH PARENT’ or ‘WITH GUARDIAN’.

‘Last month’ refers to the last 30 days

This collected because:

• It provides vital information about the client’s homelessness history—if they have been homeless before or if this is their first episode of homelessness.
• Information about the last month and the last year are collected to understand how recent experiences compare to experiences over the last year.

How to complete

• This collects information about episodes of homelessness that have occurred in the last month AND in the last 12 months.
• You must select at least one response for both the last month and the last year.
• If a client has experienced a type of homelessness in the last month, then this must also be recorded for the last 12 months. For example, if a client has been sleeping rough or in non-conventional accommodation in the last month, record they have also experienced this in the last 12 months.
• If this is being completed for the last service contact of the month, ‘last month’ refers to the last 30 days.

Response definitions

Sleeping rough or in non-conventional accommodation

• The client has been living on the streets, sleeping in parks, squatting, living in cars or railway carriages, living in improvised dwellings, or living in the long grass.

Short-term or emergency accommodation (episodes of homelessness)

• The client has been living in the following situations, due to a lack of other options:
  • in refuges
  • in crisis shelters
  • couch surfing
  • living on a temporary basis with friends and relatives, in insecure accommodation on a short-term basis (generally up to 3 months)
  • in emergency accommodation arranged in hotels, motels and so forth by a specialist homelessness agency.

Not homeless

• The client has not been homeless within the last month/last 12 months.

Don’t know

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information.

Is the client a current or former ADF member?

This is collected because: 

• Australian veterans represent a potentially vulnerable group with respect to homelessness. 
• This information will be used to better understand the extent to which veterans may need support from SHS agencies and their particular circumstances before, during and after receiving support. 

How to complete 

• Record whether the client is either a current or former Australian Defence Force (ADF) member. 
• This does include both full-time and part-time ADF members. 
• This does not include non-Australian defence forces, or reservists who have never served full-time in the ADF. 
• This is not asked of clients under 18 years of age. 

Response definitions 

Yes 

• The client is a current ADF member. 
• The client is a former ADF member. 

No 

• The client is neither a current nor a former ADF member. 
• The client has been in the defence force of another country but not the Australian defence forces 
• The client has been a reservist who has never served full-time in the ADF. 

Don’t Know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Not applicable 

The question is not asked of a child under 18 years.

Does the client need help/supervision in the following areas due to a long-term health condition or disability? 

This is collected because: 

• It is helpful to know if a person has a disability as clients may have particular needs that result in them needing help or supervision with everyday activities. 
• This information allows the identification of the needs of this client group and analysis of the availability and appropriateness of homelessness services for them. 

How to complete 

• All three parts MUST be completed. 
• Select only ONE answer for each life area (self-care, mobility and communication). 
• This relates to the client’s condition at the beginning of the support period. 
• For children who only need help/supervision because of their young age, select Have no difficulty. 
• For young children who have a disability and/or long-term health condition, select the appropriate level of difficulty. 

How to ask this question 

• The question should be asked of all clients. 
• The question should be answered from the perspective of the client. A carer can answer on behalf of the client. 
• The question should always be introduced in the following way: 
  • This question is about whether a long-term health condition or disability restricts your everyday activities. A long-term health condition is one that has lasted, or is expected to last, 6 months or more.
  • Examples of long-term health conditions that might restrict your everyday activities include severe asthma, epilepsy, mental health condition, hearing loss, arthritis, depression, autism, kidney disease, chronic pain, speech impairment and stroke.

Need for help/supervision with activities in a life area

After this introduction, ask the question:

‘For each of the following everyday activities do you:

• always/sometimes need help and/or supervision
• have difficulty, but don’t need help/supervision
• don’t have difficulty, but use aids/equipment or medication
• have no difficulty.’

Please refer to the information on in the collection manual for response definitions for ‘Everyday activities in a life area’ (including self-care, mobility and communication) and ‘Degree of help/supervision needed’.

This is collected because:

• it indicates whether a person is a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and is receiving a package of support from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
• the NDIS provides people with permanent and significant disability with support they need for an ordinary life
• the data collected may be used to understand more about SHS clients who are NDIS participants, so that policy and service responses can be developed that are effective for this particular group of clients.

How to complete

• Ask if the client is currently receiving an agreed package of support through the NDIS.
• The question should be answered from the perspective of the client. A carer can answer on behalf of the client.

Note: Not all clients identified as having a disability in the SHSC are eligible for the NDIS.

Response definitions

Yes

• The client is currently receiving an agreed package of support through the NDIS.

No

• The client is not currently receiving an agreed package of support through the NDIS. This includes any client who is not eligible to apply for the NDIS.
• The client has applied for support through the NDIS and has been found to be eligible for the scheme, but is not currently receiving an agreed package of support.

Don’t know

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information.

Whether the client has ever been diagnosed with a mental health issue by a health professional 

This is collected because: 

• People with mental health issues represent a potentially vulnerable group with respect to homelessness. 
• Evidence suggests that the longer persons with mental health issues are supported by specialist homelessness services, the more likely they are to move into public, community or rental housing rather than return to rough sleeping. 
• Access to a range of longer term supports and community-based services will increase the early intervention and recovery support options for people who are homeless with a mental illness. 

How to complete 

• Ask whether the client has EVER been diagnosed to have a mental health condition by a health professional. 
• If the client is aged under 15, only complete this question if you, the agency worker, think it appropriate. Select Not applicable if the question is not asked. 
• Health professionals who may diagnose a mental health condition include: 
  • psychologists 
  • psychiatrists 
  • general practitioners 
  • mental health registered nurses. 

Response definitions 

Yes 

• The client has been formally diagnosed by a health professional as having a mental health issue. 

No 

• The client has never been formally diagnosed by a health professional as having a mental health issue. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Time period a client has received services or assistance for a mental health issue 

This is collected because: 

• It will identify how recently the client has received mental health services. 

How to complete 

• Ask how long it has been since the client has received services for their mental health issue. 
• This should be answered from the perspective of the agency worker. 
• It relates to the agency worker’s knowledge of whether or when the client has received mental health services or assistance. 

Response definitions 

Currently receiving services 

• Receiving ongoing services at the time the support period started. 

Received services in the last 12 months 

• Not currently receiving services but has received services in the last 12 months. 

Received services more than 12 months ago 

• The last services the client received were more than 12 months ago. 

Received services—no timeframe reported 

• The client has received services but you are not able to determine when this took place. 

No services ever received 

• The client has never received any services or assistance for a mental health issue. 

Don’t know 

• ·The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Not applicable 

• There is no consent for information to be provided to the AIHW. 
• The client has never been formally diagnosed by a health professional as having a mental health issue; that is, you recorded No for the previous question. 
• There is no consent for information to be provided to the AIHW.
• The question was not asked of a child under 15. 

Any additional information, informal or formal, that indicates the client currently has a mental health issue 

This is collected because: 

• It enables identification of a mental health issue that may not have been formally diagnosed by a health professional and would otherwise not be reported. 

How to complete 

• This relates to the client’s situation at the beginning of the support period. 
• It should be answered from the perspective of the agency worker. 
• Only select one source. If there are a number of sources of information, you should mark the source you consider to be the most reliable; for example, a formal diagnosis or a formal referral from an agency or institution would take precedence. 
• A mental health condition is a medical condition that impairs thought, mood or behaviour resulting in distress or impaired functioning. It may include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia and so forth. 
• If there is not enough information to answer this question for children, select No information indicating mental illness. 

Response definitions 

Agency worker 

• The client appears to the agency worker to have an undiagnosed mental health condition. 

Health professional 

• The client has been diagnosed with a mental health condition by a doctor, nurse or other health professional. 

Family/friends/carers 

• Family friends and carers are people who know the applicant well, and are concerned that the person may have an undiagnosed mental illness. 

Non-government agency 

• Information is received from a non-government agency who offers disability support programs, or from a local community support program, whose target population includes those with a mental illness. 

Self-identified 

• The client reports that they have a mental illness but does not have contact with a specialised mental health service or other relevant service providers at this point in time. 

Other 

• There is information to indicate that the client has a mental health condition but the source of information is not included in the list above. 

No information indicating mental illness 

• There is no information available to the agency worker to indicate that the client currently has a mental health condition. This does not necessarily mean that the client does not have a mental health issue—just that the worker does not have information to indicate that they do. 

Not applicable

There is no consent for information to be provided to the AIHW.

This information is recorded about the client’s circumstances: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• Immediately before the client’s support period. 
• After the client received their last service for the month (ongoing clients) 
• After exiting your service (closed support period) 

Living arrangement of the client 

This is collected because: 

• It indicates the group of people the client lives with and hence what support may be available. 

How to complete 

• Record the category that best describes the group of people with whom the client lives. 
• This should not be confused with the presenting unit. 
• Children are recorded in the group that best describes their situation (that is, if living with both parents, you should record Couple with child(ren). 

Response definitions 

Lone person 

• The client lives alone. This includes living alone (without family) in an institution. 

One parent with child(ren) 

• The client is a single parent living with their child(ren). 
• The client is a child living with a single parent. 
• Includes step and adopted parent/child relationships. 

Couple with child(ren) 

• The client is a parent living with their spouse/partner and their child(ren). 
• The client is a child living with a both parents. 
• Includes step and adopted parent/child relationships. 

Couple without child(ren) 

• The client is living with their spouse/partner only. 

Other family 

• Includes all other groups with related individuals, including siblings and families of more than two generations. 

Group 

• Includes two or more unrelated persons who live together. 
• Situations where boarders or lodgers live with a family. 
• Excludes persons living alone (without family) in institutions. 

Don’t know 

• Where you are unable to determine the living arrangements of the client.

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to where the client was living: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• The night before the support period started 
• Where the client will be staying after they receive their last service of the month (ongoing clients) 
• Where the client will be staying after exiting your service (closed support period) 

Determining a client’s housing status 

The following three questions are asked to gain detailed information about a client’s housing status and their tenure—their legal right to occupy a dwelling. It also identifies clients who are in stable accommodation. 

a) The type of residence/dwelling the client lived in 

As well as describing the type of dwelling or residence in which the client lived, this question can provide useful information about the client’s tenure and level of homelessness. For example, if it indicates that clients have been sleeping rough, living in an institution or in emergency accommodation, it is also possible to determine their tenure and level of homelessness. 

b) Type of tenure 

When the client is living in a house/townhouse/flat, the type of tenure question collects information on whether a dwelling is owned or rented, and whether the client was living there rent free. It also provides more detailed information on emergency accommodation—whether a client is paying a fee or living rent free. 

c) Conditions of occupancy for client’s dwelling 

This question provides more detailed information about a client’s tenure. For example: 

• If the client was renting in public housing, was their name on the lease? 
• If the client’s tenure was rent free in private housing, were they couch surfing or living with a relative rent free? 
• If a client has been living rough select Not applicable for ‘Conditions of occupancy’. 

Type of residence/dwelling the client lived in 

This is collected because: 

• This information is required to help determine homelessness. 
• When used with other information it can show, in particular: 
  • the standard of housing that clients had been living in 
  • the types of services that can help clients who are housed, but at risk of becoming homeless 
  • how a client’s access to secure and independent accommodation is improving; an important outcome indicator. 

How to complete 

• This refers to the physical structure of the residence/dwelling in which the client lived. 
• When recording the client’s dwelling for ‘When presenting’ immediately before the start of the support period, you should record where your client stayed the night before. 
• When recording this at the last service provision date each month, record the client’s situation for the night of the day that you last provided them with services. 

Response definitions 

Caravan 

• All mobile units on land occupied on a permanent or semi-permanent basis by people. Includes caravans, campervans and mobile houses. 

Tent 

• Includes all portable shelters made of canvas or fabric, supported by one or more poles or a frame. 

Cabin 

• Includes small houses or shelters of simple construction. 

Boat 

• All mobile water units occupied on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. Includes small boats and houseboats. 

House/townhouse/flat 

• Includes bedsits, and flats attached to houses or shops and so forth. 

Improvised building/dwelling 

• Includes a structure or building not intended for the purpose of housing people. 

No dwelling/street/park/in the open 

• Includes those people who are sleeping on public transport, such as riding on trains/buses and so forth, because they have no other option. 

Motor vehicle

• Includes all road vehicles that are not equipped for living in. 
• Excludes campervans, caravans and mobile houses. 

Boarding/rooming house 

• Includes self-contained units within a boarding house with separate cooking, bathroom, and toilet facilities. 
• This refers to the individual rooms in a boarding/rooming house, not the complete building. 

Emergency accommodation 

• Includes night shelters/women’s refuges/youth shelters. 

Hotel/motel/bed and breakfast 

• Includes all commercial establishments that provide paid lodging, and usually meals and other guest services. 

Hospital (excluding psychiatric) 

• Includes hospitals and other health-care facilities but not specialised prison health facilities. 

Psychiatric hospital/unit 

• Includes mental health units and forensic health units of corrective services systems. 

Disability support 

• Includes all units whose primary role is disability support. 

Rehabilitation 

• Includes facilities that cater for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Excludes rehabilitation in prisons and correctional facilities. 

Adult correctional facility (prison) 

• Includes those facilities whose main role is to detain and rehabilitate adult prisoners. 

Youth/juvenile justice correctional centre 

• Includes those facilities whose main role is to detain and rehabilitate youth or juveniles. Community custodial facilities are included in this category. 

Boarding school/residential college 

• Includes educational institutions where students reside during the academic year. 

Aged care facility 

• Refers to nursing homes, aged care hostels or non-self-contained accommodation for the aged. 

Immigration detention centre 

• Includes immigration residential housing and immigration transit accommodation. 

Other 

• Refers to a type of dwelling that is not listed in the categories above. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information.

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to the tenure of the dwelling where the client was living: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• The night before the support period started 
• Where the client will be staying after they receive their last service of the month (ongoing clients) 
• Where the client will be staying after exiting your service (closed support period) 

Determining a client’s housing status 

The following three questions are asked to gain detailed information about a client’s housing status and their tenure—their legal right to occupy a dwelling. It also identifies clients who are in stable accommodation. 

a) The type of residence/dwelling the client lived in 

As well as describing the type of dwelling or residence in which the client lived, this question can provide useful information about the client’s tenure and level of homelessness. For example, if it indicates that clients have been sleeping rough, living in an institution or in emergency accommodation, it is also possible to determine their tenure and level of homelessness. 

b) Type of tenure 

When the client is living in a house/townhouse/flat, the type of tenure question collects information on whether a dwelling is owned or rented, and whether the client was living there rent free. It also provides more detailed information on emergency accommodation—whether a client is paying a fee or living rent free. 

c) Conditions of occupancy for client’s dwelling 

This question provides more detailed information about a client’s tenure. For example: 

• If the client was renting in public housing, was their name on the lease? 
• If the client’s tenure was rent free in private housing, were they couch surfing or living with a relative rent free? 
• If a client has been living rough select Not applicable for ‘Conditions of occupancy’. 

Client’s tenure 

This is collected because: 

• Information about the client’s legal right to live in the residence/dwelling they lived in—the client’s tenure—can help show the extent to which clients have access to secure and independent accommodation. This information is required to help determine the extent of the client’s homelessness. 

How to complete 

• Record the client’s legal right (tenure) to live in the residence/dwelling the client has been living in. This is the type of residence/dwelling that has been recorded for the client. 
• Type of tenure collects information on whether a dwelling is owned, being purchased or rented. If the client is staying temporarily with friends or relatives, do not confuse this with the tenure that the friends or relatives have for that dwelling. For example, if the client is couch surfing in a house that is rented privately by friends, do not record Renter—private housing because the client is not paying rent. Instead, record Rent-free —private housing for tenure and ‘Couch surfing’ for the client’s conditions of occupancy. 
• If the client is a child is living with a parent, then record the child as living ‘rent free’ in the appropriate type of dwelling. 
• When recording the client’s tenure for ‘When presenting’ immediately before the start of the support period, you may need to record the tenure of the dwelling where your client stayed the night before. 
• When recording this at the last service provision date each month, record the client’s situation for the night of the day that you last provided them with services. 

Response definitions 

Renter—private housing 

• A client renting a dwelling owned by a private individual(s) or a private business. 
• It is NOT owned by a government body or a housing association, housing cooperative or other not-for-profit community service organisation. 

Renter—public housing 

• A client renting a dwelling owned/controlled by a government body or government authority. 

Renter—community housing 

• A client renting a dwelling owned/controlled by a housing association, housing cooperative or other not-for-profit community service organisation. 

Renter—transitional housing 

• A client renting accommodation provided through a government-funded agency. 
• The accommodation is generally more stable and provided for longer than crisis accommodation, and is linked to external support through an agency. 

Renter—caravan park 

• A client renting a cabin or caravan in a caravan park. 

Renter—boarding/rooming house 

• A client renting a room or rooms in a boarding or rooming house. 

Renter—emergency accommodation/night shelter/women’s refuge/youth shelter 

• A client paying rent for emergency accommodation, a night shelter, women’s refuge or youth refuge. 

Other renter 

• A client renting accommodation that is not included in the categories listed above. 

Rent free—private housing 

• A client staying rent free at a dwelling owned by a private individual(s) or a private business. 
• It is NOT owned by a government body or a housing association, housing cooperative or other not-for-profit community service organisation. 

Rent free—public housing 

• A client staying rent free at a dwelling owned/controlled by a government body or government authority. 

Rent free—community housing 

• A client staying rent free at a dwelling owned/controlled by a housing association, housing cooperative or other not-for-profit community service organisation. 

Rent free—transitional housing 

• A client staying rent free at accommodation provided through a government-funded agency. 
• The accommodation is generally more stable and provided for longer than crisis accommodation, and is linked to external support through an agency. 

Rent free—Caravan Park 

• A client staying rent free in a cabin or caravan in a caravan park. 

Rent free—boarding/rooming house 

• A client staying rent free in a room or rooms in a boarding or rooming house. 

Rent free—emergency accommodation/night shelter/women’s refuge/youth shelter 

• A client staying rent free in emergency accommodation, a night shelter, women’s refuge or youth refuge. 

Other rent free 

• A client staying rent free at accommodation that is not included in the categories listed above. 

Life tenure scheme 

• A client with a contract to live in the dwelling for the term of their life but without the full rights of ownership and usually with limited or no equity in the dwelling. This is a common arrangement in retirement villages. 

Owner—shared equity or rent/buy scheme 

• A client who is purchasing a proportion of the equity in the dwelling, and paying rent for the remainder. 

Owner—being purchased/with mortgage 

• The client owns their dwelling and is repaying a mortgage or loans secured against the dwelling, regardless of the purpose of the mortgage or secured loan. 

Owner—fully owned 

• The client owns their dwelling and is not making any payments on mortgages or loans secured against the dwelling. 
• A client who has repaid a loan, but technically not discharged the associated mortgage, is included in this category. 

Other tenure type not elsewhere specified 

• A client with tenure that does not fit any of the above categories. 
• Includes clients who are house-sitting or receiving payment in kind for a specific service, such as live-in nanny. 

No tenure 

• The client is sleeping rough or does not have a legal right to occupy a dwelling and can be asked to leave at any time. 
• Includes couch surfing, living on the streets, sleeping in parks, squatting, using cars or railway carriages, improvised dwellings, or living in the long grass. 
• Includes living in an institutional setting, such as a hospital, psychiatric hospital/unit, disability support unit, rehabilitation facility, adult correctional facility, youth/juvenile justice correctional centre, boarding school/residential college, aged care facility or immigration detention centre. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information.

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to where the client was living: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• The night before the support period started 
• Where the client will be staying after they receive their last service of the month (ongoing clients) 
• Where the client will be staying after exiting your service (closed support period) 

Determining a client’s housing status 

The following three questions are asked to gain detailed information about a client’s housing status and their tenure—their legal right to occupy a dwelling. It also identifies clients who are in stable accommodation. 

a) The type of residence/dwelling the client lived in 

As well as describing the type of dwelling or residence in which the client lived, this question can provide useful information about the client’s tenure and level of homelessness. For example, if it indicates that clients have been sleeping rough, living in an institution or in emergency accommodation, it is also possible to determine their tenure and level of homelessness. 

b) Type of tenure 

When the client is living in a house/townhouse/flat, the type of tenure question collects information on whether a dwelling is owned or rented, and whether the client was living there rent free. It also provides more detailed information on emergency accommodation—whether a client is paying a fee or living rent free. 

c) Conditions of occupancy for client’s dwelling 

This question provides more detailed information about a client’s tenure. For example: 

• If the client was renting in public housing, was their name on the lease? 
• If the client’s tenure was rent free in private housing, were they couch surfing or living with a relative rent free? 
• If a client has been living rough select Not applicable for ‘Conditions of occupancy’. 

Conditions of occupancy for client’s dwelling 

This is collected because: 

• Information about conditions of occupancy together with client’s tenure can help show the extent to which clients have access to secure and independent accommodation. 
• This information is used, in conjunction with other information about a client’s residence or dwelling and tenure, to determine homelessness or at risk of homelessness. 

How to complete 

• Conditions of occupancy are conditions that are attached to the client’s legal right (the client’s tenure) to live in a residence/dwelling. 
  • For example, the type of tenure a client may have is that they are a renter of a private house but their right to rent the private house is further defined by being named on the rental lease. 
• Record the conditions of occupancy that are attached to the client’s legal right (tenure) to live in the residence/dwelling the client has been living in. This is the residence/dwelling that has been recorded for the client. 
• When recording the client’s conditions of occupancy for ‘When presenting’ immediately before the start of the support period, you may need to record their conditions of occupancy for the dwelling where your client stayed the night before. 
• If the response to Client’s tenure was No tenure and the client is not a Couch surfer or Living with a relative fee free, then select Not applicable. 
• Leased tenure—nominated on lease and Lease in place—not nominated on lease can only be selected if there is a lease in place. 
• If there is no lease in place then choose the most appropriate response; that is, Couch surfer, Boarder, Living with relative fee free or Other. 
• If the client is a child living with a parent, record the child as Living with relative fee free. Where the child is living with a parent whose conditions of occupancy is Couch surfer, record the child as Couch surfer. 
• If the client is in a life tenure scheme, owns their own home or has no tenure, then mark Not applicable. 
• When recording this at the last service provision date each month, record the client’s situation for the night of the day that you last provided them with services. 

Response definitions 

Leased tenure—nominated on lease 

• A client who is renting and is listed on the contract for the lease. 
• A client who has tenure with a rent/buy scheme. 

Lease in place—not nominated on lease 

• A client who is living in accommodation where a lease is in place but the client is not named on the lease agreement. 

Couch surfer 

• A client who typically moves from household to household intermittently, who is not regarded as being part of those households, and who does not have any form of leased tenure over any accommodation. 

Boarder 

• A client who is boarding, and who is supplied with meals and/or lodging in return for payment. 

Living with relative fee free 

• A client who is related to a member of a household, and who is not paying a fee for their lodging. 
• A child who is living with a parent who either owns or is renting the dwelling. 

Other 

• A type of arrangement that is not listed in the categories above. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Not applicable (conditions of occupancy) 

• A client has no tenure and they are not a Couch surfer or Living with a relative fee free. 
• A client’s tenure is a life tenure scheme. 
• A client has no tenure where they have been living in an institutional setting such as a hospital, psychiatric hospital/unit, disability support unit, rehabilitation facility, adult correctional facility, youth/juvenile justice detention centre, boarding school/residential college, aged care facility or immigration detention centre. 
• A client who owns their own home. 

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to the client’s circumstances: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• Immediately before the start of their support period 
• After the client received their last service for the month (ongoing clients) 
• After exiting your service (closed support period) 

Labour force status of the client 

This is collected because: 

• Whether a client is employed or not is an important indicator of the socioeconomic status of a person and is a key element in assessing the circumstances and needs of individuals and families. 
• By comparing the client’s employment status before, during and after receiving support, it can measure whether support services were able to improve the employment status of clients; an important outcome indicator. 

How to complete 

• If a client is aged under 15, mark Not applicable. 
• The reference week is the week before the reference date (a week before the start of the support period, the start of the support period or the last service date each month). 

Response definitions 

Employed 

• Includes clients aged 15 and over who, during the reference week: 
  • Worked for 1 hour or more for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind in a job or business, or on a farm (comprising ‘employees’, ‘employers’ and ‘own account workers’). 
  • Worked for 1 hour or more without pay in a family business or on a farm (that is, ‘contributing family worker’). 
  • Were ‘employees’ who had a job but were not at work and were: 
    •  on paid leave 
    • on leave without pay, for less than 4 weeks, up to the end of the reference week 
    • stood down without pay because of bad weather or plant breakdown at their place of employment, for less than 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week 
    • on strike or locked out 
    • on workers compensation and expected to be returning to their job, or 
    • receiving wages or salary while undertaking full-time study. 
• Were ‘employers’, ‘own account workers’ or ‘contributing family workers’ who had a job, business or farm, but were not at work. 

Unemployed 

Refers to clients aged 15 and over, who were not employed, and: 

• Had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week and were available for work in the reference week, or would have been available except for temporary illness (that is, lasting for less than 4 weeks to the end of the reference week). 
• Waiting to start a new job within 4 weeks from the end of the reference week and would have started in the reference week if the job had been available then. 
• Waiting to be called back to a full-time or part-time job from which they had been stood down without pay for less than 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week (including the whole of the reference week) for reasons other than bad weather or plant breakdown. 

Note: Actively looking for work includes writing, telephoning or applying in person to an employer for work. It also includes answering a newspaper advertisement for a job, checking factory or job placement agency notice boards, being registered with a job placement agency, checking or registering with any other employment agency, advertising or tendering for work or contacting friends or relatives. 

Not in the labour force 

• Refers to clients aged 15 and over who were not employed or unemployed, as defined above. 
• Includes clients who were keeping house (unpaid), retired, voluntarily inactive, permanently unable to work, in institutions (hospitals, prisons, sanatoriums and so forth), trainee teachers, members of contemplative religious orders, and whose only activity during the reference week was jury service or unpaid voluntary work for a charitable organisation. 
• Does not include clients who are actively looking for work. 

Don’t know

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Not applicable (labour force status) 

• The client is aged under 15. 

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to the client’s circumstances: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• Immediately before the start of their support period 
• After the client received their last service for the month (ongoing clients) 
• After exiting your service (closed support period) 

Client’s main source of income 

This is collected because: 

• When used with other information, it can indicate the socioeconomic status of a person and is a key element in assessing the needs and circumstances of individuals. It can also be used to indicate how clients are supported to become more independent. 

How to complete this question 

• Record the main source of income – only one response is possible. 
• Do not include income in kind, such as barter for goods or services. 
• If the client is aged under 15, only complete this question if you, the agency worker, think it appropriate. 
• If this question is not asked of a person aged under 15, mark Nil income. 
• If the client only has a small and/or irregular amount of money coming in, mark Nil income. 

Response definitions 

Government pensions and allowances 

Newstart allowance 

• Australian Government payment for unemployed people aged 21 and over, but under Age Pension age. 

Parenting payment 

• Australian Government payment to a parent, grandparent or foster carer who is supporting at least one child. 
  • As a single parent, the person must care for at least 1 child younger than 8 years 
  • As a couple, the person must care for at least one child younger than 6 years 
• Only paid to one member of a couple. 

Disability support pension (Centrelink) 

• Australian Government payment to people aged 16 and over but under Age Pension age, who have an assessed impairment and are unable to work full time or undertake educational or vocational training for at least 2 years due to their impairment. 

Youth allowance 

• Australian Government payments to young people including students and those looking for work. This includes full-time students aged 16–24 or unemployed people aged under 21 who are undertaking job search or a combination of approved activities. 
• Some people aged 15 may be eligible for Youth Allowance. 

Age pension 

• Australian Government payment to people who qualify for the Age Pension—the age will be increasing incrementally over the coming years. 

Austudy/ABSTUDY 

• Austudy refers to an Australian Government payment generally paid to people who are aged 25 or over and are undertaking approved full-time studies or a full-time Australian Apprenticeship. 
• ABSTUDY refers to an Australian Government payment paid to people of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent aged 14 or over and studying or undertaking a full-time Australian Apprenticeship. 

DVA pension or payment 

• A payment made by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) to eligible clients in the current and former Australian veteran and defence force community. 

Sickness allowance 

• Australian Government payment to assist employed people aged 22 but under pension age, including the self-employed, who are temporarily unable to work because of a medical condition. In some cases, a full-time student may qualify for Sickness Allowance. 

Carer allowance 

• A supplementary payment for carers, including most recipients of a Carer Payment. Carer Allowance is not means tested and is paid as general recognition of the caring role. 
• Recipients of these payments may also be entitled to a Pensioner Concession Card and pharmaceutical benefits. 

Carer payment 

• Australian Government payment provided to carers who generally provide constant care in the home of the person they care for. 
• There are two categories of Carer Payment: Carer Payment (Child)—caring for a person under 16; and Carer Payment (Adult)—caring for a person 16 or older. It is subject to income and asset testing (means testing). 
• Carer Payment is not intended to compensate for the costs of caring but is an income support payment for carers, who because of their caring responsibilities are unable to support themselves through substantial participation in the workforce. 

Other government pensions and allowances (not elsewhere classified) 

• Government pensions and allowances not listed above. 

Employee income 

• Refers to income derived from regular employment. 
• Directors who work in their own business, which is incorporated, are included as employees. 

Unincorporated business income 

• Refers to income derived from profits from a private business, including farms or properties where the business has not been incorporated. 

Other income (not elsewhere classified) 

• Refers to other sources of income not listed above, such as interest, dividends from shares, royalties, workers compensation, payments from accident/sickness insurance, scholarships, superannuation pensions, annuities and so forth. 

Nil income 

• The client has no money coming in or has only a small and irregular amount of money coming in. 
• The client has no money coming in and is dependent upon someone else’s income. 
• If the question was not asked of a client aged under 15. 
• Does not include clients who are actively looking for work. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to the client’s circumstances: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• Immediately before the start of their support period 
• After the client received their last service for the month (ongoing clients) 
• After exiting your service (closed support period) 

Client currently registered for a government benefit, pension or allowance, but awaiting their first payment 

This is collected because: 

• It determines whether clients who reported having no income have applied to Centrelink for assistance and are awaiting their first payment. 
• When used with other information, it is an important indicator of the client’s socioeconomic status before, during and after receiving support. Comparing the socioeconomic status at these different times can measure whether support services were able to improve the client’s financial situation. 

How to complete 

• This question is only asked of those clients aged 15 or over who answered that they had Nil income as their source of income in the question, Client’s source of income. 
• If a client reported a source of income in the question, Client’s source of income, then record Not applicable. 
• If a client is under 15, then record Not applicable. 

Response definitions 

Yes 

• The client has no income and has applied for a government benefit. 

No 

• The client has no income and has not applied for a government benefit. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide information. 

Not applicable (awaiting government payment) 

• If the client has reported a source of income in the question, Client’s source of income. 
• If the client is under 15. 

Child protection arrangements 

Notes: 

This information recorded relates to the client’s circumstances: 

• 7 days before the start of their support period 
• Immediately before the start of their support period 
• After the client received their last service for the month (ongoing clients) 
• After exiting your service (closed support period) 

Type of care arrangements—children under 18 with a care or protection order 

This is collected because: 

• Young people leaving care arrangements provided by child protection systems are recognised as being particularly vulnerable to homelessness. 
• This information enables the identification of the needs of this client group and analysis of the availability and appropriateness of homelessness services for them. 

How to complete 

• Only complete if the client is aged under 18 and was under a care or a protection order. 
• If the child was not on a care or a protection order, select Not applicable. 
• Record the situation 7 days before the support period started, at the beginning of the support period and at the last support date in each collection month. 

Further information 

• Care and protection orders are legal orders or arrangements that give child protection departments some responsibility for a child’s welfare. 
• Placing a child on a care and protection order is usually taken only as a last resort in situations where the relevant department believes that continued involvement with the child is warranted. 
• Children with care or protection orders will have different care arrangements. Care arrangements (living arrangements) may be specified in the care or protection order but there is no standard approach with this. 
• Some children can be living in out-of-home care, such as foster care, but will not have a care and protection order. 

Response definitions 

Residential care 

• Placement is in a residential building where the purpose is to provide placements for children and where there are paid staff. 

Family group home 

• Family group homes provide care to children in a departmental or community sector agency–provided home. 
• These homes have live-in, non-salaried carers who are reimbursed and/or subsidised for the provision of care. 

Relatives/kin/friends who are reimbursed 

• Includes family members (other than parents) or a person well known to the child and/or family (based on a pre-existing relationship) who are reimbursed by the state/territory. 
• Reimbursed means that the carers are paid some money to offset the costs of caring for a person. 

Foster care 

• Includes situations in which a child is living with foster parent(s) who receive a foster care allowance from a government or non-government organisation for the care of a child. 
• Excludes children in family group homes. 

Other home-based care (reimbursed) 

• Includes any other type of reimbursed home-based care that does not fit into the above categories. 
• Reimbursed means that the carers are paid some money to offset the costs of caring for a person. 

Relatives/kin/friends who are not reimbursed 

• Includes family members (other than parents) or a person well known to the child and/or family (based on a pre-existing relationship) who ARE NOT reimbursed by the state/territory. 

Independent living 

• Includes private board and lead tenant households. 

Other living arrangements 

• Includes any living arrangements not mentioned above unless the child is living with parents on a care or protection order—record as Parents. 

Parents 

• The child is living with their parent(s) while under a care or protection order. 
• Includes natural or adoptive parent(s) of the child. 

Don’t know 

• The information is not known or the client has refused to provide the information. 

Not applicable (protection order care arrangements) 

• For children who are not under a care or protection order. 
• If the client is not a child under 18. 
• There is no consent for information to be provided to the AIHW.