INDIGENOUS STATUS

ABS short name: not applicable
ABS Template location (Aggregate - Child): Columns R-AG (episodes of children enrolled);
Columns AJ-AY (episodes of children attending)
METeOR Technical name: Person - Indigenous status, code N
METeOR identifier: 291036
METeOR link: <http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/291036>
METeOR definition: Whether a person identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, as represented by a code. This is in accord with the first two of three components of the Commonwealth definition.

Scope

Inclusions: The Indigenous status of the child, for all children enrolled in a preschool program.
Exclusions: Children not enrolled in a preschool program.

Underlying Concepts

Concept: Indigenous status.
Nominal definition: According to the 'The Commonwealth Definition', 'An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he or she lives'. There are three components to the Commonwealth definition:

• descent

• self-identification

• community acceptance.

'The Commonwealth Definition' was given in a High Court judgement in the case of Commonwealth v Tasmania (1983) 46 ALR 625.
Operational definition: The number of children that are enrolled in a preschool program, disaggregated by enrolments, attendances and Indigenous status. Children are considered 'Indigenous' based on parental/guardian reporting.

Please see the data item list in Chapter 1, Collection Specifications for specific disaggregation and cross classification of this data element as specified in the data request template.

It must be noted that data collected at the aggregate level will be published as episodes of enrolments, not number of children enrolled. This is because it is not possible to identify duplicate enrolments within aggregate collections, once jurisdictional service provider data are merged.
Supporting data elements: Indigenous status is not provided as an individual data element and must be cross classified and reported by the following data elements:

• Number of preschool program enrolments

• Number of Indigenous children enrolled in a preschool program

• Number of Indigenous children attending a preschool program

• Number of children attending a preschool program

• Age

Conceptual issues:

• The nominal and operational definitions of Indigenous status differ due to the aggregate data collection methodology.

• The definitions also differ as it is infeasible for children in scope of this collection to self-report. It is also infeasible to collect information on the community acceptance aspect of this definition. Therefore, the child's parent or guardian must be asked to identify the child's Indigenous status on the child's behalf.

Standard Jurisdictional Output Categories

The following output instructions refer to the format in which the data should be provided to the ABS. This format differs to the format presented in METeOR 'Value domain attributes'. The format presented in METeOR is the format that the data element would be collected if it was collected in URL form. The following outlines the format of the data as it should be provided to the ABS at aggregate level.

Representation class: Code
Data type: Number
Format: N, for example: 2
Maximum character length: 1
Classification values:

1 - Aboriginal but not Torres Strait Islander origin
2 - Torres Strait Islander but not Aboriginal origin
3 - Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin
4 - Neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander origin

Supplementary values:

9 - Not stated/inadequately described

Guide for Use

This data element must be cross classified and reported by the supporting data elements listed above.

Counting rules:

• Record the total number of children for each Indigenous classification, for the enrolment and attendance data elements.

Classification Definitions

CODE 1 - Aboriginal, but not Torres Strait Islander origin
This code should be used when the child's parent or guardian identifies the child as being of Aboriginal, but not Torres Strait Islander origin.

CODE 2 - Torres Strait Islander, but not Aboriginal origin
This code should be used when the child's parent or guardian identifies the child as being of Torres Strait Islander, but not Aboriginal origin.

CODE 3 - Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin
This code should be used when the child's parent or guardian identifies the child as being of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.

CODE 4 - Neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander origin
This code should be used when the child's parent or guardian identifies the child as being of neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait Islander origin.

CODE 9 - Not stated/inadequately described
For use where the child's Indigenous Status is not stated or inadequately described.

Other Information

Related URL data element: Indigenous status.

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