Key Summary Report from Wave 1   

In the 2007–08 Budget, the Australian Government provided $8.9 million in new funding over four waves (years) for the Footprints in Time study.

FaHCSIA has been working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities, seeking their consent to participate in an interview at least once a year, to help better understand what impacts on their children’s lives over time.

The content for Wave 2 was piloted in Brisbane, Wagga Wagga and Mount Isa in late 2008, with main Wave 2 data collection commencing in March 2009. Wave 2 asks questions about starting school for the older cohort and re-visits a number of areas covered in Wave 1, including social and emotional wellbeing, major life events, child vocabulary, child health and development, and housing issues.

A greater number of Parent 2 (usually fathers) interviews will also be attempted in Wave 2. Footprints in Time also aims to collect information, with parental permission, from teachers and child care workers and to link to data collected by the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI).

Footprints in Time is also undertaking further qualitative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities in 2009 in order to provide a more holistic view of the lives and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children.

Table 11 illustrates the work planned over the next few years of the study. Content suggestions are welcome any time but are particularly valuable in March and April of 2010 for Wave 4. Suggestions and contributions may be emailed to lsic@fahcsia.gov.au

^a For convenience the ages are the midpoint of the desired sample for each wave.

Data access

The official public release of Wave 1 data was on 20 October 2009. Footprints in Time data will be made available to researchers approved by FaHCSIA. There are strict security and confidentiality protocols surrounding use of the data. The dataset is confidentialised and personal details are removed. Prospective users will be required to complete a dataset application and read and sign a Deed of Licence.

Queries about the study or the data should be forwarded to LSICdata@fahcsia.gov.au.

Queries about applying for the data or licensing arrangements should be sent to longitudinalsurveys@fahcsia.gov.au.

The arrangements for access are very similar to those already applying for access to the datasets for the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. However there is additional information that Footprints in Time applicants need to provide.

• Users affiliated with an organisation which has signed an Organisational Deed of Licence will need to contact their Data Manager and sign a Deed of Confidentiality and the Footprints in Time data protocols. A complete list of organisations with an Organisational Deed of Licence is found at either:
  http://www.aifs.gov.au/growingup/data.html or
  http://www.melbourneinstitute.com/hilda/data.html.
• Users from all other organisations will need to enter an Organisational Deed of Licence or have individual users sign an Individual Deed of Licence.
• For more information, refer to the Manual for the access to and use of FaHCSIA longitudinal survey datasets, which can be found at the sites mentioned above

Those who are interested in applying for the Footprints in Time data should read Section 9 and Appendix A in the Manual before completing their application. Data Managers will also need to become familiar with these new sections.

Protocols

There are three key interrelated protocols that Footprints in Time data users need to follow when working with the data, in addition to the formal requirements set out in the manual and the relevant licence deeds.

The first protocol requires applicants and licensed users to openly acknowledge their standpoint in their application and in the reporting of data outputs in reports or publications. This is a declaration of the context in which the data analysis is being generated, for example, their institutional context and whether in a university, government department, community organisation or cross-sector partnership. This will also require declaring one’s personal context, such as cultural background, work background, depth of experience liaising with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and prior research/publications in the area.

The second protocol is a demonstration of cultural competency. Cultural competency refers to the need to respect, understand and acknowledge the benefits, values and realities of Indigenous people and communities. This includes being mindful of Indigenous people’s right to have different values, norms and aspirations to non-Indigenous people. Analysts should recognise that Indigenous communities are diverse, with different languages, cultures, histories and perspectives, as well as the diversity of individuals within these communities. Researchers need to be cognisant of diversity by showing an understanding and appreciation of these differences in the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the data.

The third protocol deals with the final research material. Data users need to provide FaHCSIA with their final research material so that the department can honour its commitment to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities (particularly those involved in the study) feedback on how the data is being used and a summary of research project findings. This also allows FaHCSIA to make publicly available a bibliography of all final research material using Footprints in Time data to encourage uptake of findings, avoid research duplication and facilitate collaboration and the progressive building upon research findings.

It is important that the findings generated from the Footprints in Time data are made available so they can contribute in the policy, planning, evaluation, management and delivery of services. In accordance with the Deed of Licence, the final research material can also be used across the Australian Government to support internal policy development and evaluation.

These unique Footprints in Time protocols have been developed in consultation with the Data Protocol Subcommittee of Aboriginal members. Applicants need to provide a response regarding adherence to the protocols in the data application form.For further information please email LSIC. (LSIC@fahcsia.gov.au)

Learning more

More information on Footprints in Time and its progress can be found on the Footprints in Time section of the FaHCSIA website. (www.fahcsia.gov.au/lsic)