Note: cubes open in new window.
What is a data cube?
A data cube is a multidimensional representation of the dataset. It allows you to quickly select, filter and arrange aggregated data for variables of interest using drag and drop functionality. Data from this generated data view can be exported into Excel, if you prefer this format for data analysis and reporting.
Further information
For general information on how to use and manipulate the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection (SHSC) data cubes, SHS data cubes user guide or use the help facility within the cube.
For assistance with building a table, download Building a table in the SAS Web Report Studio (2.3MB PDF)
For comparison purposes, see the SHS annual report. Please note: in some cases, data presented in the cubes may differ from those published elsewhere because of differences in the preparation and analysis of the source data.
For information on how SHSC data are collected, see the SHS Collection Manual.
For data quality information, see the data quality statement for each reference year, available from METeOR, the AIHW metadata repository.
For further enquiries, customised data requests, or help please email .
About the SHSC data cubes
The SHSC data cubes are a subset of the confidentialised and weighted SHSC dataset. The data cubes currently contain SHSC data for the 2011–12 to 2014–15 financial years. The data are split into a series of cubes (based on different content of interest to users).
This 2011–15 version of the SHSC data cubes contains some changes to the previous version. Major changes include the addition of 2013–14 and 2014–15 data, the addition of 'Assistance with core activities' into the 'SHS demographics' cube, the addition of key identifiers into the 'SHS housing situation', 'SHS other outcomes' and 'SHS support services cubes' (for 'Care or protection order', 'Domestic violence', 'Exiting care', 'Exiting custody' and 'Mental health issue'), and the removal of some data items from the cubes to protect client confidentiality (e.g. 'Remoteness area' is removed from all cubes, and 'Country of birth' and 'Year of arrival in Australia' are removed from the 'SHS demographics' cube).
Please acknowledge the source of these data as follows: AIHW Specialist Homelessness Services Collection Data Cubes.
Counting unit
The counting unit for these data cubes is uniquely identified clients. The SHSC collects data about support periods and certain information collected about the client is used to construct a statistical linkage key (SLK) to bring together all data about each client who had multiple support periods.
Data items included in the data cubes
SHS demographics national cube
Accommodation nights, Age group, Assistance with core activities, Care or protection order, Diagnosed mental health issue, Domestic violence, Exiting care, Exiting custody, Family type (first reported), Homelessness (first reported, ever reported), Indigenous status, Main reason, Mental health issue, Repeat homelessness, Sex, State /Territory, Support period length, Year.
For more detailed information about the data items in this cube, see SHS demographics national cube metadata.
SHS housing situation national cube
Age group, Care or protection order, Case management goals achieved, Case management plan, Closed support, Domestic violence, Dwelling type (first reported), Dwelling type (last reported), Exiting care, Exiting custody, Homeless (first reported), Housing (first reported), Housing (last reported), Indigenous status, Mental health issue, Months homeless, Months homeless status, Occupancy (first reported), Occupancy (last reported), Reason no case management plan, Sex, State/Territory, Tenure (first reported), Tenure (last reported), Year.
For more detailed information about the data items in this cube, see SHS housing situation national cube metadata.
SHS other outcomes national cube
Age group, Care or protection order, Case management goals achieved, Case management plan, Closed support, Domestic violence, Education enrolment (first reported), Education enrolment (last reported), Exiting care, Exiting custody, Indigenous status, Labour force status (first reported), Labour force status (last reported), Living arrangement (first reported), Living arrangement (last reported), Main source of income (first reported), Main source of income (last reported), Mental health issue, Reason no case management plan, Sex, State/Territory, Year.
For more detailed information about the data items in this cube, see SHS other outcomes national cube.
SHS support services national cube
Age group, Care or protection order, Disability assistance - needed, Disability assistance - provided, Disability assistance - referred, Domestic violence, Drug/Alcohol assistance - needed, Drug/Alcohol assistance - provided, Drug/Alcohol assistance - referred, DV assistance - needed, DV assistance - provided, DV assistance - referred, Exiting care, Exiting custody, Family assistance - needed, Family assistance - provided, Family assistance - referred, General services - needed, General services - provided, General services - referred, Immigration assistance - needed, Immigration assistance - provided, Immigration assistance - referred, Indigenous status, Legal/financial assistance - needed, Legal/financial assistance - provided, Legal/financial assistance - referred, Long-term accommodation - needed, Long-term accommodation - provided, Long-term accommodation - referred, Main reason (first reported), Medium-term accommodation - needed, Medium-term accommodation - provided, Medium-term accommodation - referred, Mental health assistance - needed, Mental health assistance - provided, Mental health assistance - referred, Mental health issue, Sex, Short-term accommodation - needed, Short-term accommodation - provided, Short-term accommodation - referred, Specialist assistance - needed, Specialist assistance - provided, Specialist assistance - referred, State/Territory, Tenure assistance - needed, Tenure assistance - provided, Tenure assistance - referred, Year.
For more detailed information about the data items in this cube, see SHS support services national cube metadata.