Local Authority Data Linkage Practices
Case reference FOI2023/00854
Published 5 June 2023
Request
I would like to submit a freedom of information request regarding your council's data linkage practices.
Data linkage (also known as matching, entity resolution or record linkage) is the process of joining data sets through deciding whether two records, in the same or different data sets, belong to the same entity (Harron et al., 2016).
Data linkage provides insight, informs policy change and helps answer society's most important questions through increasing the utility of administrative data. However, linkage presents challenges, as discussed in the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) 2018 report on joining up data, and more work needs to be done to realise its full benefit.
My colleagues and I are leading commissioned research that involves the linking of education (school census), social care (child in need census) and health data sets within NHS digital. I am interested to find out how many other local authority areas are linking data on children and young people and the barriers and enablers to the process.
1. Do you currently link your education and social care data for children and young people? Y/N/in development.
2. Which of your datasets are you linking? Please state all that apply.
School census
Children in Need (CiN) census
Children looked after return SSDA903 data collection
Other (please specify)
3. Which groups of children and young people do you link data on? Select all that apply
Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Children in Need
Children looked after (care experienced)
Children and young people on Free School Meals
All children and young people
Other (please specify)
4. How are you using the linked data?
Strategic planning
Data dashboard
Joint commissioning
Service review
Targeted interventions (individuals)
Other (please specify)
5. Do you currently link local authority data sets for children and young people with health data sets? Y/N/in development.
6. Which health data sets are you linking with education and or social care? Select all that apply
Primary care (GP data)
Community Services Data Set (CSDS)
Secondary care (CAMHS)
Children and Young Peoples Service (CYPS)
Accident and Emergency data
Secondary Uses Services (SUS) also known as HES (Hospital Episode Statistics)
Child Health Records
Deaths
Births
Other (please specify)
Response
I would like to submit a freedom of information request regarding your council's data linkage practices.
Data linkage (also known as matching, entity resolution or record linkage) is the process of joining data sets through deciding whether two records, in the same or different data sets, belong to the same entity (Harron et al., 2016).
Data linkage provides insight, informs policy change and helps answer society's most important questions through increasing the utility of administrative data. However, linkage presents challenges, as discussed in the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) 2018 report on joining up data, and more work needs to be done to realise its full benefit.
My colleagues and I are leading commissioned research that involves the linking of education (school census), social care (child in need census) and health data sets within NHS digital. I am interested to find out how many other local authority areas are linking data on children and young people and the barriers and enablers to the process.
1. Do you currently link your education and social care data for children and young people? Y/N/in development.
In development.
We recognise the importance of connecting these datasets and are constantly looking for ways to automate this process where possible. We routinely link datasets to correlate outcomes across children's characteristics and identified needs using a series of manual process such as vlookups.
2. Which of your datasets are you linking? Please state all that apply.
School census
Output data from statutory returns such as school census, SSDA903 and CIN census are routinely linked to understand whether outcomes are impacted by life events and characteristics. We would also link other datasets on children's performance in tests and assessments as well as correlating health outcomes where possible.
Children in Need (CiN) census
Yes
Children looked after return SSDA903 data collection
Yes
Other (please specify)
3. Which groups of children and young people do you link data on? Select all that apply
Children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Yes
Children in Need
Yes
Children looked after (care experienced)
Yes
Children and young people on Free School Meals
All children and young people
Other (please specify)
We would start with the largest known children dataset which includes children with no identified need and use this to link to specific datasets such as children with disabilities, CIN, CLA to understand if there is any learning that might help predict future need. If you only linked datasets of children with a particular characteristic this might lead you to exclude a cohort of children that might not exhibit any needs or characteristic but are still service users.
4. How are you using the linked data?
We link data to understand holistic need of children and young people and the impact that certain characteristics might have on current and future life outcomes. This in turn helps with decision making when commissioning services, reviewing current provision and providing targeted interventions.
Strategic planning
Data dashboard
Joint commissioning
Service review
Targeted interventions (individuals)
Other (please specify)
5. Do you currently link local authority data sets for children and young people with health data sets? Y/N/in development
In development.
We are always looking to work closer with partners across health services and progress is being made in this area every day. Health partners are currently helping to develop a dashboard of indicators for children with SEND, adding intelligence to the presenting need and health outcomes of the cohort.
6. Which health data sets are you linking with education and or social care? Select all that apply
All of the datasets described below are on the agenda to link with education data as these potentially all form a part of the jigsaw to understanding need and outcomes. We have already been successful in having contributions from colleagues in health services who are providing GP data, diagnostic waiting times and service demand. Child deaths are reported by health professionals and shared with responsible education managers so that immediate action can be taken to manage child records. This avoids any inappropriate communications being sent to individuals, parents or carers.
Primary care (GP data)
Community Services Data Set (CSDS)
Secondary care (CAMHS)
Children and Young Peoples Service (CYPS)
Accident and Emergency data
Secondary Uses Services (SUS) also known as HES (Hospital Episode Statistics)
Child Health Records
Deaths
Births
Other (please specify)
Linking records is something that the local authority will continue to develop because a single central child record is likely to promote better outcomes, earlier for our children and young people. Understanding the holistic needs of children, the services currently being accessed and other services available but not currently accessed should mean that the most appropriate pathways are delivered at the earliest opportunity.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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