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SOCIAL REPORTING AND FRAMEWORKS

OBJECTIVES

The Social Reporting and Frameworks program provides leadership for responding to priority data needs across the social statistics program that are relevant to understanding wellbeing and social outcomes. It provides frameworks to assist users to access relevant data and analyse social outcomes, and has responsibility for family and community, gender, social inclusion, and time use statistics.

The program provides leadership and coordination relating to the conceptual organisation of social statistics including the overall social statistics framework and related conceptual models. The framework's dimensions, particularly areas of social interest and population groups, are central to the ABS's social statistics collection and reporting activity. As the ABS undergoes transformation of its survey program over the next five years, organising frameworks across social survey topics will become increasingly important to underpin a coherent set of social statistics.

A particular focus for the program is on gender indicators, designed to assist and inform government policy, by supporting decision makers to develop, monitor and evaluate policies and programs aimed at achieving gender equality. The program also supports the development of relevant content for social surveys that reflect user needs, and is responsible for standards relevant to the measurement of family, sex and gender statistics.

Priorities for the program are determined through engagement with relevant stakeholder groups including the Australian Government and key advisory groups.

OUTPUTS

The main outputs of the program are:

• development and implementation of the Frameworks for Australian Social Statistics (cat. no. 4160.0.55.001), including user guides
• leading the development of social survey content and analysis relevant to time use, family characteristics and social participation
• biannual updates of Gender Indicators, Australia (cat. no. 4125.0)
• undertaking customised data requests and reports for clients (e.g. A Profile of Australian Women in Business, 2015 produced for the Office for Women).

• develop and implement organising frameworks and associated documentation for social statistics that support access and use of social data, including areas of particular social interest and population groups - due December 2015
• actively engage with key data users to understand emerging priority data needs across the social statistics program that are relevant to understanding social outcomes and wellbeing - ongoing
• develop and maintain efficient processes for the coordination of official reporting on key social statistics to the Australian Government, and international statistical bodies, including the Post 2015 Development Agenda - ongoing
• continue to improve ABS dissemination of information about social issues relating to wellbeing, families, communities and gender, reflecting the priority of data - ongoing.