Statistics & the CHMA(+ - % = < >)

Charles BrownAssistant Statistician

Communities Analytical Services

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Overview Biography

Statistical remit of the Centre

Statistics training programme

Statistics guidance & advice

Statistics on the Centre’s new website

Contacting the Centre

Question time

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A Bit About Me!

Quick Biography• Graduated Edinburgh University 1999 - Psychology (25%

applied statistics) • Joined Scottish Government in1999 • Held posts in Health, Justice, OCEA and OCS • Joined CHMA in August 2008 – new to housing!

Government Statistical Service (GSS)• I am also a member of the GSS• 100+ statisticians in SG, with 1,000+ statistics collections• I can tap into this pool of statistics expertise to help you

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Why have a Statistician in the CHMA?

• Housing Need & Demand Assessments (HNDAs) need a robust evidence-base using many & diverse statistics

• The HNDA Guidance requires LAs to collect & analyse statistics – pretty technical in parts!

• LAs have differing levels of analytical resource available – some more that others

• The Centre to provide extra statistical resource if needed – to help LAs with analytical work for HNDAs

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Function 1: Guidance & Advice

• Run statistics training on relevant datasets – starting now! • Help LAs apply the HNDA Guidance and share best

practice

• Improve access to datasets via the Centre’s website – our ‘statistics portal’

• Advise on statistical methods & techniques to help maximise the quality of HNDAs

• Provide market context material eg research on housing, regeneration, equalities etc to complement HNDAs

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Function 2: Our Formal Role

• Responsible for “considering” if the process used to produce HNDAs is ROBUST & CREDIBLE

• My role - to see if the PROCESS by which HNDA statistics are derived is robust & credible - not the numbers per se

• A quality assurance process to;

- help LAs avoid HNDAs being challenged at Enquiry by Reporters

- help you maximise the statistical rigour of your HNDAs

• HNDAs will use local information and progress at different speeds - Centre is flexible here not prescriptive. About partnership working, in the spirit of the new Concordat to achieve the best HNDAs

* Ongoing guidance and advice = robust and credible HNDAs *

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Training Programme 2008 - 2009

• Some statistics training planned & some finalised. Key sessions;

- 2 housing statistics events; today & 29 January 2009 - HNDA Guidance (2008) step-by-step application - Equality statistics

• Training back up by web-based materials eg presentations, information packs, podcasts (maybe)…….

• Run regionally where possible – we’ll be on the road!

• Training is not set in stone so please tell us what you’d like

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Guidance & Advice

• We can give statistical guidance on;

- application of the HNDA Guidance (2008) - methodology eg sampling, confidence intervals etc - sourcing secondary data & selecting the best data - commissioning primary data eg local surveys - analysing and report statistics - ……..so please get in touch!

• CHMA website will list Q&As – a problem shared is a problem halved

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Statistics on CHMA Website

• CHMA website is under construction. Goes live soon at; http://www.scotland.gov.uk/chma

• To include; - ‘Statistics Portal’ with links to relevant HNDA statistics - Best practice to share local knowledge & expertise - Training materials & calendar - Market context materials - Guidance inc; HNDA Guidance & its application, statistics guide - Business plan - Stakeholder engagement inc. Steering group

• To be a source of practical, usable information. Simple & easy to use • Will develop over time. This is your resource so tell us what you think?

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Contacting Us

• Can contact the Centre directly • Preferred route is through local HID teams• A single response from the Centre and HID together• On receipt of queries will agree timescales for response• Ways to make contact: Mailbox: chma@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 0131 244 0870• If statistics queries are HNDA-related, contact the Centre

first and we will notify the relevant statistician

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Your Views?

• To help us help you, we are seeking your views on;

- the statistics training you need most - the statistics guidance you need - content you would like on the website - how best to contact & feedback to you

• So let us know your thoughts

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• The Centre is your resource – so please use us!

• We’re about partnership working to help achieve the best HNDAs possible – based on sound evidence

• Keep in touch as you progress your HNDAs and lets all progress gradually to ‘robust’ and ‘credible’

• Your the local experts & we need to learn from you – tell us about best practice, difficulties, your issues

• Lets share our knowledge and expertise across the board – we’re all in this together.

So in Summary…

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Thank You

ANY QUESTIONS?

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