Homelessness Statistics User Group meeting paper: March 2023

Paper for the meeting of the group on 27 March 2023.


Progress to date

Why a data review?

Initial consultation with data providers [spring/summer 2020] revealed that a review was felt to be required to:

  • ensure data collections are reflective of changes in homelessness legislation, terminology and policy initiatives
  • ensure that the current categories are still relevant, include a large enough range of options and provide the level of detail required
  • rationalise the collections to better reflect the data needs of the sector and data users – both by adding new items, and removing those that are no longer required
  • improve guidance and validation, particularly where there are inconsistencies/high levels of divergence identified

Detailed consultations

  • content consultation [end of 2020]
  • public consultation [end of 2020]
  • internal consultation [end of 2020]

Analysis, discussion and short term changes

  • analysis of findings [publication TBC]
  • initial discussions of working and topic groups [spring 2021]
  • shorter term updates
    • HL3 and UAO guidance, 
    • HL1 guidance and changes for UDP
    • collection of sex and gender [upcoming discussion]

Plans going forward

Drafting content

In process of re-establishing the working group

  • primarily local authority representatives to ensure any proposed changes are practical to implement
  • split into topic-specific groups for detailed discussion

Scottish Government (SG) to lead on:

  • research [legislation, official guidance, UK coherence]
  • targeted external stakeholder engagement
  • drafting new content / response options

Topic-specific group to agree – then wider working group

Final public consultation of proposed new content

Collection and processing systems

Alternative data collection and processing systems

  • in-built validation at point of entry (e.g. ProcXed)
  • easier to update and add new questions
  • reproducible analytical pipelines (automation)
  • reporting for data providers (error, quarterly and annual)

Additional considerations

  • user need vs data quality and availability
  • data linkage needs
  • new prevention legislation
  • consideration of data provider timescales
  • how to ‘future proof’
  • implementation / transition strategy
  • governance and guidance associated with all aspects

High level timescales

  • early 2023: review work to date
  • end 2023/ Early 2024: re-establish working and topic groups and understand requirements for data collection and processing systems  
  • early-mid 2024: establish proposed new content (through engagement with groups and stakeholders) and consult on proposed new content
  • end 2024/ Early 2025: scope collections and processing systems and finalise content
  • end 2026/ Early 2027: agree collection and processing systems and build and implementation

Would you like to be part of the working group?

Seeking membership consisting of data providers/regulators to ensure that considered changes are practical to implement

  • get the opportunity to influence discussion and recommendations
  • looking for a range of input, operational/data, different local authority location/size as that comes with different sets of challenges

If you are an external stakeholder and want to provide views/discuss please get in touch

emma.sigfridsson@gov.scot
homelessness_statistics_inbox@gov.scot 

Contact

Homelessness statistics user group

homeless_statistics_inbox@gov.scot

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