4240.0.55.002 - National Early Childhood Education and Care Collection: Data Collection Guide, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/03/2013   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All  

AUSTRALIAN POSTCODE

Technical name: Address - Australian Postcode, code (Postcode datafile) {NNNN}
METeOR identifier: 429894
METeOR link: <http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/429894>
METeOR definition: The numeric descriptor for a postal delivery area, aligned with locality, suburb or place for the address of a person.

Scope

Inclusions: For all children enrolled in a preschool program include:

  • The postcode of the child's parent or guardian, with whom the child spends the majority of their time.

Exclusions:
  • The postcode for a post office box of the child's parent or guardian.
  • The postcode of any other parent or guardian of the child that is not the parent or guardian with whom the child spends the majority of their time.
  • Children not enrolled in a preschool program.

Underlying Concepts

Concept: Postcode.
Nominal definition: The postcode component of a child's address that identifies the child's place of usual residence.
Operational definition: The postcode component of a child's parent or guardian's address, that identifies where the child's parent or guardian lives, reported for the parent or guardian with whom the child spends the majority of their time.
Supporting data elements: The following data elements are used in conjunction with Australian Postcode to geo-code an address to Collection District (CD) Statistical area level 1 (SA1) and Mesh Block (MB) for the data elements Area of usual residence - ASGC 2011 (Collection District), Statistical area level 1 (SA1) ASGS 2011 and Area of usual residence (Mesh Block) ASGS 2011. This data element can also be used to validate CD codes, SA1 and MB codes or other supplied address data elements.

Australian Postcode can also be used to validate CD codes, SA1 and MB codes or other supplied address data elements.
    Conceptual issues:
    • The Postcode for the child should be reported using the concept of 'usual residence', which is nominally defined as 'the place where the person has or intends to live for 6 months or more'.
    • Operationally, the address details of the child's parent or guardian are recorded as it is assumed that the child lives with the parent or guardian and it is infeasible for children in scope of this collection to self-report. It is also not operationally possible to confirm whether or not the address provided on the service provider records is the place that the parent or guardian has or intends to live for 6 months or more, in accordance with the nominal definition of 'usual residence'.

    Standard Jurisdictional Output Categories

    Classification scheme: Postcode datafile
    Representation class: Code
    Data type: Number
    Format: {NNNN}, for example: 5118
    Maximum character length: 4
    Supplementary values:
      9999 - Not stated/inadequately described
      0 - Concealed Record

    2.1.17 LEGAL VALUE CHECKS

    Edit specificationsEdit resolution
    1. If field is blank.Provide a valid Australian postcode, otherwise amend to code ‘9999’
    2.If field contains text of character length is greater than 4.Provide a valid Australian postcode.


    Guide for Use

    If a jurisdiction is able to accurately code complete address information for CD, SA1 and MB, for the data elements Area of usual residence - ASGC 2011 (Collection District), Statistical area level 1 (SA1) ASGS 2011 and Area of usual residence (Mesh Block) ASGS 2011 there is no requirement to provide this data element. However, if jurisdictions do not provide Address line in addition to CD, SA1 and MB codes, detailed information on jurisdictional geo-coding processes and validations should be provided to the ABS.

    Counting rules:
    • Postcode should reflect the place of usual residence of the parent or guardian with whom the child spends the majority of their time, as specified on the child's enrolment form.
    • If the child spends 50% with one parent/guardian and 50% with the other, record the 1st postcode recorded.
    • Include those children who are living outside of the jurisdiction's borders, if the child attends preschool within the jurisdiction. For example, a child living in Queanbeyan that attends a preschool in Canberra would be recorded within the ACT jurisdictional data set, not the NSW data set.
    • For children boarding at a boarding school, report the postcode of the child's parent or guardian, not the boarding school.

    Classification Definitions

    CODE 9999 Not stated/inadequately described
    For use when the postcode of the child's parent or guardian is unknown, not stated or inadequately described. Where the postcode is unknown, the ABS requests that jurisdictions identify the reason for the unknown response and document any follow-up processes undertaken.

    CODE 0 – Concealed Record
    For use when the address of the child's parent or guardian is concealed/withheld to protect the child’s identity.

    Other Information

    Related aggregate data elements: No related aggregate data element.



    Previous PageNext Page