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Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED)

The ASCED is the current national standard classification which includes all sectors of the Australian education system, that is, schools, vocational education and training, and higher education. From 2001, ASCED replaced a number of classifications used in administrative and statistical systems, including the ABS Classification of Qualifications (ABSCQ). The ASCED comprises two classifications: Level of Education and Field of Education. See Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED), 2001 (cat. no. 1272.0).

Communication

This activity comprises the following tasks:

• understanding family or friends
• being understood by family or friends
• understanding strangers
• being understood by strangers.

Core activities are communication, mobility and self care.

Core activity limitation

Four levels of core activity limitation are determined based on whether a person needs help, has difficulty, or uses aids or equipment with any of the core activities (communication, mobility or self care). A person's overall level of core activity limitation is determined by their highest level of limitation in these activities.

The four levels of limitation are:

• profound: the person is unable to do, or always needs help with, a core activity task.
• severe: the person
  • sometimes needs help with a core activity task
  • has difficulty understanding or being understood by family or friends, or
  • can communicate more easily using sign language or other non-spoken forms of communication.
• moderate: the person needs no help but has difficulty with a core activity task.
• mild: the person needs no help and has no difficulty with any of the core activity tasks, but
  • uses aids and equipment
  • cannot easily walk 200 metres
  • cannot walk up and down stairs without a handrail
  • cannot easily bend to pick up an object from the floor
  • cannot use public transport
  • can use public transport but needs help or supervision, or
  • needs no help or supervision but has difficulty using public transport.

In the context of health experience, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) defines disability as an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. It denotes the negative aspects of the interaction between an individual (with a health condition) and that individual's contextual factors (environment and personal factors).

Persons are considered to have a disability if they have a limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities. This includes:

• loss of sight (not corrected by glasses or contact lenses)
• loss of hearing where communication is restricted, or, an aid to assist with or substitute for hearing is used
• speech difficulties
• shortness of breath or breathing difficulties causing restriction
• chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort causing restriction
• blackouts, fits, or loss of consciousness
• difficulty learning or understanding
• incomplete use of arms or fingers
• difficulty gripping or holding things
• incomplete use of feet or legs
• nervous or emotional condition causing restriction
• restriction in physical activities or in doing physical work
• disfigurement or deformity
• mental illness or condition requiring help or supervision
• long-term effects of head injury, stroke or other brain damage causing restriction
• receiving treatment or medication for any other long-term conditions or ailments and still restricted
• any other long-term conditions resulting in a restriction.

Persons who reported that they had worked in a job, business or farm during the reference week (the full week prior to the date of interview); or that they had a job in the reference week but were not at work.

Employment restriction

A person with one or more disabilities has an employment restriction if, because of their disability, they:

• are permanently unable to work
• are restricted in the type of work they can or could do
• need or would need at least one day a week off work on average
• are restricted in the number of hours they can or could work
• require or would require an employer to provide special equipment, modify the work environment or make special arrangements
• require assistance from a disability job placement program or agency
• need a support person at work
• need or would need to be given ongoing assistance or supervision, or
• would find it difficult to change jobs or get a better job.

Full-time or part-time worker

Full-time work is defined as 35 hours or more per week.

For employed persons, full-time or part-time status is determined by the actual and/or usual number of hours worked in all jobs during the reference period.

Labour force status

A classification of the population aged 15 years or over into employed, unemployed or not in the labour force.

Level of highest non-school qualification

Level of highest non-school qualification identifies the highest achievement a person has attained in any area of study. It is not a measurement of the relative importance of different fields of study, but a ranking of qualifications and other educational attainments regardless of the particular area of study or the type of institution at which the study was undertaken. Level of highest non-school qualification is based on the Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED), 2001.

Long-term condition

A disease or disorder which has lasted or is likely to last for at least six months; or a disease, disorder or event (e.g. stroke, poisoning, accident etc.) which produces an impairment or restriction which has lasted or is likely to last for at least six months. Long-term health conditions have been coded to a classification based on the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10).

Mild core activity limitation

See Core activity limitation.

Mobility

Mobility comprises the following tasks:

• getting into or out of a bed or chair
• moving about the usual place of residence
• going to or getting around a place away from the usual place of residence
• walking 200 metres
• walking up and down stairs without a handrail
• bending and picking up an object from the floor
• using public transport.

See Core activity limitation.

Non-core restriction

A restriction in employment and/or schooling.

Not in the labour force

Persons who, during the reference period, were neither employed nor unemployed. They include persons who were keeping house (unpaid), retired, voluntarily inactive, permanently unable to work, in institutions, trainee teachers, members of contemplative religious orders, and persons whose only activity during the reference period was jury service or unpaid voluntary work.

Participation rate

In the context of labour force statistics, the participation rate for any group is the number of persons in the labour force (i.e. employed persons plus unemployed persons) expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over in the same group. In this publication, the population is restricted to persons aged 15-64 years.

Profound core activity limitation

See Core activity limitation.

Limitation

A person has a limitation if they have difficulty doing a particular activity, needs assistance from another person or uses an aid.

Schooling restriction

A schooling restriction is determined for persons aged 5-20 years who have one or more disabilities if, because of their disability, they:

• are unable to attend school
• attend a special school
• attend special classes at an ordinary school
• need at least one day a week off school on average, or
• have difficulty at school.

This activity comprises the following tasks: showering or bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and bladder or bowel control.

Severe core activity limitation

See Core activity limitation.

Specific limitation or restriction

A limitation in core activities, or a restriction in schooling or employment. This corresponds with the concept of 'handicap' used in ABS publications on disability prior to 1998.

Unemployed

Persons aged 15 years and over who were not employed during the reference period, but who actively looked for work and were available to start work.

Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate for any group is the number of unemployed persons in that group expressed as a percentage of the labour force (i.e. employed persons plus unemployed persons) in the same group.