Victorian Auditor-General's Office

3. Factors affecting data quality

Conclusion

The factors that contribute to DFFH’s poor-quality child protection data include:

  • DFFH does not comply with the Data Quality Standard
  • CRIS is not fit for its intended purpose and its data quality controls do not always work 
  • child protection practitioners and caseworkers do not have time to record information in a timely way due to their heavy workload.

DFFH told us that it is aware of these issues and is working on a plan to address them.

2. Quality of child protection data

Conclusion

We reviewed CRIS data and found multiple instances of incomplete, inaccurate and inconsistent information. 

This means that DFFH’s child protection data does not readily provide current and complete information on vulnerable Victorian children.

This also limits DFFH’s ability to make informed decisions that are in the best interests of vulnerable children. 

1. Audit context

The Victorian child protection system aims to protect children when their families are unable or unwilling to care for them.

CRIS is a critical data system that is central to how DFFH delivers the state’s child protection services. 

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