DATA COLLECTION METHODS

Most jurisdictions supplied data for the Collection using a URL data collection methodology. A small proportion of data for certain preschools in some states and territories were provided at aggregate level.

UNIT RECORD LEVEL DATA COLLECTION

A URL data collection methodology contains data for individual statistical entities in a collection population. For the purposes of the Collection, a URL data collection methodology collects child level data and corresponding service provider data for each child in the data set. This collection methodology also includes worker level data corresponding to service provider data for each worker in the data set. In 2013, all jurisdictions were able to collect worker data using a URL data collection methodology.

AGGREGATE LEVEL DATA COLLECTION

An Aggregate level data collection methodology contains data from statistical entities within the collection population that are grouped together and aggregated into broader categories. For the Collection, an Aggregate data collection methodology collects totals of children enrolled in and attending preschools programs at the service provider level only. Unlike URL collection methodologies, data collected at this level does not contain detailed child level information. Therefore, it is not operationally possible to identify children enrolled and attending multiple services. All preschool data collected at the service provider level is therefore reported as an episode.

Statistical Entities

Within each jurisdiction’s collection, data were collected for the following statistical entities:

• Child level data
• Worker level data
• Service Provider level data.

Child Level Data

Child level data contains information for each individual child in the data set and includes personal characteristics, enrolment and attendance information for each child. Aggregate level data contains data from statistical entities within the collection population, which are grouped together into broader categories therefore individual child record information is not available.

The primary aim of collecting data at the child level is to enable reporting of numbers of children who have received a preschool program in the year before full-time schooling. Child level data that includes a non-unique identifier, such as a statistical linkage key (SLK), assists to ensure that each child is counted only once. The importance of child counts is explained further, later in this Chapter.

Worker Level Data

Worker level data contains confidentialised data for individual workers at each service provider within the data set. Data at the worker level includes educational qualifications, role and type of work activity, and information on whether the worker delivered, or assisted in delivering, a preschool program. It is possible for a single worker to be employed across multiple service providers within the same jurisdictional file where a worker may be employed by two or more preschools, two or more LDCs or a combination of Preschool and LDC. It is also possible for a single worker to be employed by the same service provider across different jurisdictional files, CCMS and a state or territory file. As no worker level data supplied for the 2013 Collection included a unique identifier which could be used to link episodes, as occurs for child level data, all worker data was output as episodes of workers delivering preschool programs. See the Glossary, for further information on the concept of an ‘episode’.

Service Provider Level Data

Service provider level data contains information for each individual service provider delivering a preschool program. Data at the service provider level includes geographic information, management type, activity type and service delivery setting, as well as aggregate information on preschool programs (for child aggregate collections only). Service provider data are also available from child URL data sets (preferred collection method). In a child URL dataset, a service provider’s characteristics are replicated for every child episode associated with that service.

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