Information for data users

Publicly available data

To access or download aggregated POCLS data, go to the following sections:

• Interactive dashboards
• POCLS publications

Customised requests for policy relevant research

Policy and program areas can also make a special request for aggregated POCLS data if it is not publically available in the Interactive Dashboards and POCLS publications section.

POCLS offers a service to assist policy and program agencies define their research questions and establish research partnerships using the Study data.

Customised requests may incur a programming fee and will be subject to approval by DCJ. Please email Pathways@facs.nsw.gov.au to make a data request.

Access to confidentialised unit record data

Unit record data from the POCLS will be available to researchers on formal application. The application and publication process for all research using POCLS unit record data  is outlined in the following POCLS technical reports:

• Guidelines for accessing the data and publications (PDF, 1.4 MB)
• Guidelines for using record linkage data (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Apply to undertake analysis funded by external grants or organisations

The POCLS data asset will be available to researchers who receive external grants or can self-fund projects approved by DCJ.

Key steps to access unit record data:

1. Research application:
   Researcher/s apply to DCJ for approval to access and use POCLS data in a defined research project by completing a Research Proposal and Data Analysis Plan Application (PDF, 1.4 MB). The completed Application can be emailed to Pathways@facs.nsw.gov.au.  
   The POCLS survey questionnaires, data dictionaries, data books and data user guides can assist you with this (see POCLS publications page).
2. Research application review:
   DCJ reviews the Research Proposal and Data Analysis Plan Application.
3. Gain HREC approval for approved researchers:
   For DCJ commissioned projects, DCJ will gain the approval on the researcher’s behalf from the study’s Human Research Ethics Committees. For all other projects, researchers are required to gain ethics from their institution as part of the application to access the data.
4. Sign DCJ Research Agreement:
   Approved researchers are required to sign a DCJ Research Agreement.
5. Apply for SURE workspace:
   POCLS confidentialised unit record data are stored in the Secure Unified Research Environment (SURE) at the Sax Institute. The Sax Institute manages access applications and the granting of SURE licenses for POCLS data users.
   DCJ will complete a Workspace Application Form on the researcher’s behalf to access the data in SURE.
6. SURE agreement for provision of the project folder:
   A standard agreement for SURE access is prepared by the Sax Institute and the researcher will countersign.
7. Access to data and data user resources:
   Approved researchers will be provided with data in SURE, as well as information about data user resources, training, support and publication guidelines.
8. Publications:
   All publications using POCLS data will be reviewed by DCJ, data custodians and ethics committees prior to publishing. All POCLS publications and journal articles will be available on the webpage at POCLS publications.

Data user training

Approved researchers are required to undertake data user training before they can access POCLS data in SURE.

To request data user training please email  Pathways@facs.nsw.gov.au.

Secure Unified Research Environment (SURE)

The Secure Unified Research Environment (SURE), is a secure computing environment at the Sax Institute that approved POCLS researchers can log in to remotely to analyse POCLS data. Visit the SURE homepage for more information or contact the SURE team.

Technical support

There are several Technical Papers in POCLS publications to assist data users in their analysis of the POCLS data. Please refer to these in developing your research and data analysis plan.

List of DCJ funded POCLS projects

For POCLS publications please go to POCLS publications page.

	Lead researcher	Institution	Topic	Publishing date
1	Australian Institute for Family Studies	Australian Institute for Family Studies	Baseline Statistical Report (Wave 1)	2015
2	Professor Judy Cashmore	University of Sydney	Children’s Family Relationships in Out-of-Home Care (Waves 1-2)	2017
3	Professor Paul Delfabbro	University of Adelaide	Relative/kinship and foster care: A comparison of carer and child characteristics (Wave 1)	2017
4	Dr Fred Wulczyn	Chapin Hall Centre for Children University of Chicago	Placement stability (Wave 1-2)	2017
5	Professor Ilan Katz	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Child and carer needs and services (Wave 1-2)	2019
6	Dr Fred Wulczyn	Chapin Hall Centre for Children University of Chicago	Exits from out-of-home care (Waves 1-3)	2019
7	Professor Judy Cashmore	University of Sydney	Children’s Family Relationships in Out-of-Home Care (Waves 1-3)	2021
8	Professor Paul Delfabbro	University of Adelaide	Relative/kinship and foster care: A comparison of carer and child characteristics (Waves 1-3)	2020
9	Professor Paul Delfabbro	University of Adelaide	Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care (Waves 1-3)	2018
10	Professor Ilan Katz	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Casework support (Wave 1-3)	2020
11	Dr Michelle Townsend	University of Wollongong	Educational outcomes of children and young people in out-of-home care (Waves 1-3)	2020
12	Settlement Services International, DCJ, Professor Paul Delfabbro & Professor Judy Cashmore	Collaboration	Culturally and linguistically diverse children and young people on out-of-home care (Waves 1-3)	2021
13	Professor Raghu Lingam	School of Women’s and Children’s Health Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW	Pathways of Change: optimising the mental health of children in OOHC	2023
14	Dr BJ Newton	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Understanding the influential factors and outcomes of restoration from out-of-home care for aboriginal children	2023
15	Dr Miriam Maclean	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Investigation of care experiences and support associated with positive educational outcomes: evidence for improving educational trajectories for children in care	2023
16	Associate Professor Rebecca Mitchell	Australian Institute of Health Innovation	Exploring the impact of child and placement characteristics, carer resources and perceptions, and life stressors on caregiving.	2022
17	Dr Aino Suomi	Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University	Patterns of family contact for children in care: how can we better support birth family relationships for children over time?	2023
18	Dr Anne-Marie Laslett	La Trobe University	Substance use by young people, their parents and carers: outcomes for young people in and beyond out-of-home-care.	2023
19	Dr Catherine Wade	Parenting Research Centre	Mapping the trajectories for children and young people in out-of-home care in NSW.	2023
20	Dr Melissa O’Donnell	Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia	Infants entering care: developmental needs and care trajectories.	2023
21	Dr Kath McFarlane	Kath McFarlane Consulting Pty Ltd	Offending youth, their families and pathways of care.	2023
22	Professor Massimiliano Tani	School of Business, University of NSW Canberra	Children with disability in the POCLS – wellbeing and outcomes.	2023
23	Professor Sandra Eades	Indigenous, Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne	Supporting the mental health of Aboriginal children in OOHC and leaving OOHC.	Underway
24	Dr Phillipa Evans	School of Social Sciences, University of NSW	Exploring the experiences of Aboriginal girls that go missing from OOHC and have contact with the justice system	Underway
25	Elder Ted Fields	Uraah Innovations and Cultural Services, University of NSW	Exploring the cultural health and care gap among Aboriginal children.	Underway
26	Dr Wendy Hermeston	ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation, Melbourne Medical School, Department of General Practice. University of Melbourne	Examining cultural continuity and stability of Aboriginal children.	Underway
27	Dr Emily Hindman	Bimiirr Darrundaygu Psychology and Research Centre, Coffs Harbour NSW	Understandings the factors influencing the neurodevelopmental trajectory and poor outcomes of Aboriginal children.	Underway
28	Professor Marcia Langton	Indigenous Studies Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne	Configuring an Indigenous data ecosystem: Aboriginal children in OOHC.	Underway
29	Dr BJ Newton	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Understanding the potential impact of carers on the experiences and outcomes of Aboriginal children.	Underway
30	Dr BJ Newton	Social Policy Research Centre, University of NSW	Exploring how parental and family characteristics influence child protection reporting and removal of Aboriginal children under two years.	Underway
31	Dr Natalie Strobel	Centre for Improving Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families, Edith Cowan University	Developing profiles to support the restoration of Aboriginal children to their families.	Underway
32	Dr Natalie Strobel	Centre for Improving Health Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families, Edith Cowan University	Describing primary health care utilisation and medication uptake amongst Aboriginal children	Underway

Please see all POCLS research and statistical reports.

Details of DCJ priority policy areas (PDF, 2.4 MB).