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The Disability Housing Outcomes Framework first year results

The Disability Housing Outcomes Framework 2022–23 Annual Report is now available

We are excited to release the first Annual Report from the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework. The report allows providers to benchmark their own outcomes performance, as well as giving initial insights into what works for disability housing. 

The disability housing sector continues to be a changing market with greater consumer choice, yet there is no consistent, sector-wide approach to understand what works. Over the past few years a coalition of organisations across the sector have been working together to develop and implement a common outcomes framework and data collection tool to help understand what good housing looks like for people with disability. Together, we created the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework, or DHOF.

This is the first year the DHOF has been used to measure housing outcomes. Seven organisations across Australia have implemented the tool, with this report bringing together the results. It follows on from the initial co-design process and subsequent six-month pilot.

The report:

  • Demonstrates what outcomes are currently being achieved and allows comparison across the sector.
  • Begins to analyse the data available to start to understand what works in disability housing overall.
  • Identifies what we will be able to understand with more data and more providers using the DHOF.

Read the 2022–23 Annual Report:

What’s next?

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The Disability Housing Outcomes Framework pilot results are now in

The Disability Housing Outcomes Framework pilot results

The disability housing sector is facing a changing market with greater consumer choice, yet there is no consistent, sector-wide approach to understand what works. Over the past few years a coalition of organisations across the sector have been working together to develop a common outcomes framework and data collection tool to help understand what good housing looks like for people with disability: the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework.

Following an eight-month codesign process, a pilot has recently been completed across seven organisations nationally including Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers who used the Framework in practice. The purpose of the pilot was to ensure that the Framework and tool provides data that is meaningful for people with disability, practical for providers to implement, and able to inform decision making across a range of stakeholders.

Despite significant challenges arising from Covid-19 pandemic, we are thrilled that the pilot ran successfully for six months and has shown promising results.

Read the pilot results:

What’s next?

Following a successful pilot, the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework Tool is now rolling out across the sector. This means organisations working in disability housing can now use the tool to regularly survey their tenants or customers, and measure their impact against the six DHOF outcomes, compare themselves to industry benchmarks, use the results to inform decision making, and build staff capability through membership of the Community of Practice.

A webinar and a full report on the pilot results will be released in late May 2022. Subscribe to receive notifications and learn more about how you can use the framework and tool in your organisation.

Cloud-based pilot of the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework launched

Following an eight-month codesign process, we are working with seven providers to pilot the Framework as a cloud-based tool

Over the last eight months, we have been undertaking a codesign process to develop a cloud-based tool to collect data and help providers track progress against the Disability Housing Outcomes Framework.

Across extensive workshops and interviews with people with disability and their supporters as well as with provider front line and operational staff, we tested and iterated on the language, designs, concepts, and functionality. The result is a frontend survey tool designed for people with disability linked with a backend outcomes management platform and CRM.

We are thrilled to have completed the codesign and user testing phases, and to have commenced this preliminary pilot which will test the tool in practice. Over the course of the pilot, we will:

  • ensure the Framework and processes are practical to implement,
  • deliver preliminary outcomes reporting to participating organisations in a user-friendly format so that they can understand their performance​
  • determine how participating organisations can leverage the outcomes data to learn from one another​ and drive improved outcomes for participants, and
  • modify the tool as needed before preparing for rollout at scale.

The seven organisations participating in the pilot are Aruma, Claro Aged Care Disability Services, Compass Housing Services, DPN Casa Capace, Good Housing, Housing Choices Australia and Life Without Barriers.

Recruitment is currently underway, with an anticipated 150 people with disability from a range of different geographies and contexts to participate. The pilot has received ethics approval from a Human Research Ethics Committee.

Following this initial pilot, the Framework will be refined to prepare for an extended industry pilot in 2022, where more disability housing and support providers will be invited to join. ​ This project has been developed as a coalition across the sector, and we are actively seeking opportunities to continue collaborating with others across the ecosystem. If you’re interested to know more about the Framework, preliminary pilot, or potential opportunities to collaborate, contact us today.

Launch webinar recording now available

On 25 March 2021, we officially launched the Framework with the sector. We welcomed a panel including:

  • Ian Maynard, Chair, SDA Alliance and DPN Casa Capace, Director Open Minds, and former deputy CEO of National Disability Insurance Agency
  • Libby Callaway, Associate Professor, Independent Living Stream Lead Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre (Monash University)
  • Hosted and moderated by Anna Ashenden, Principal, Consulting, Social Ventures Australia

Unfortunately, Kevin, a disability advocate who has recently moved into SDA, was unable to join us on the day due to internet connection issues. Click here to hear what he had to say in our 1:1 interview.

Read our recently published SVA Quarterly article about the Framework: https://bit.ly/31EP7dj​
Download captions transcript file (.srt): https://bit.ly/3wvAyXA

Kevin’s interview

At yesterday’s webinar launching the Framework, we were unable to hear from Kevin due to internet connection issues. We spoke to him after the event to hear what he had to say.

Click here to download the caption file.
Click here to watch the full recording of the launch webinar.

Project Update

Beginning early in 2021, SVA Consulting and the Steering Committee will co-design and develop a tool to measure the sector’s progress against the Framework. This will involve extensive consultation and user-testing with people with disability as well as with housing and support providers to ensure that the tool is appropriate and accessible.

From July 2021, a six-month preliminary pilot will begin to test and make improvements to the tool and the Framework to ensure that it is practical, meaningful, and able to inform decision making. The project coalition will also expand to include a number of other housing and support providers who will be involved in the co-design stages of the development of the tool and then pilot from July 2021. The pilot organisations will test, provide feedback, and help improve the tool as well as the Framework.

2022 will then see a broader industry pilot to ensure the tool meets the expectations of the sector and people with disability.

Upcoming webinar – Thursday 25 March, 2020

Join us on Thursday, 25th March, 2:00pm – 2:45pm AEDT for a panel discussion and Q&A on how the sector can work together to create positive outcomes for people with disability in housing.

Topic: Disability Housing – building a common outcomes framework for people with disability

Panellists:

  • Ian Maynard, Chair, SDA Alliance and DPN Casa Capace, Director Open Minds, and former deputy CEO of National Disability Insurance Agency
  • Libby Callaway, Associate Professor, Independent Living Stream Lead Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre (Monash University)
  • Kevin, who has recently moved into Specialist Disability Accommodation
  • Hosted and moderated by Anna Ashenden, Principal, Consulting, Social Ventures Australia

Date: Thursday, 25th March, 2:00pm – 2:45PM

Registration: Free, click here