We enable the safe and respectful use and sharing of people’s data and information across the social system. We engage with the social sector, supporting data capability improvement. We provide data solutions and integration architecture and we create innovative data services that improve social service provision. Ultimately, we want to empower social service providers and government agencies to understand, decide on and do more of what really works, for better lives.
Guided by safe use and sharing policy and protocols, data systems enable respectful use and secure access to data and information for data sharing, analysis and decision-making. Data systems support the improvement of social sector data capability, by providing tools and guidance about the safe, secure and respectful use of people’s data and information.
Data systems can support data linking and exchange between multiple service provider systems in near real time. They can allow users to enter and link dynamic or changing data. They can support service providers’ safe access to the data and information they need to make better service decisions and improve wellbeing outcomes.
Learn about some of the data solutions we support
The Data Exchange provides a safe, secure and easy method for government and service providers to transfer data, alongside clear guidelines about how data is used. Using the Data Exchange means evidence-based social support decisions can be made sooner, improving service delivery and enhancing people’s lives.
Learn more about the Data Exchange
DPUP is about respectful, trusted and transparent use of people's data and information.
Doing the right thing with people’s information
DPUP provides good practice advice for agencies about ‘doing the right thing’ when collecting and using people’s personal data and information. It recognises the value of working with people as equal partners and helping a wider range of organisations to access, understand and apply insights for the benefit of their communities.
Developing DPUP
DPUP was initially developed by the social sector for the social sector to provide a shared set of rules for the respectful, trusted and transparent use of personal information.
In order to understand what agencies needed to do to establish and maintain respectful use of people's information, as well as to foster trust and confidence between individuals and agencies, we engaged extensively with the social sector in 2018.
We drew upon an extensive body of existing work, including reports from the Privacy Commissioner. Over 1,000 people, social service providers and government agencies provided input to developing DPUP.
DPUP’s engagement and design processes were developed to ensure the final Policy incorporated the voices of many people and agencies involved in the social sector.
Read about the engagement process and the insights provided by the sector: What you told us. Read the full report [PDF 802 KB] (external link) Read the report quick guide [PDF 416 KB](external link).
Cabinet endorsed DPUP in November 2019. In early 2020 a foundation group of five government agencies and NGOs started to use DPUP. This group supported the development of practical tools and experience to help others progressively adopt DPUP.
DPUP applies to all agencies as it provides clear guidance about what’s reasonable, and what’s not, when collecting or using people’s personal information.
In July 2021, DPUP was transferred to the Government Chief Privacy Officer as endorsed good practice advice associated with the government’s overall approach to privacy maturity, as implemented within the Privacy Maturity Assessment Framework.
We developed the Social Sector Data Sharing Standard to standardise data transfer between government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs).
A draft of the Data Sharing Standard was piloted during 2021 by The Loft, a co-location of NGOs based in Christchurch, in conjunction with implementing the Integrated Services Hub. Integrating the Data Sharing Standard allowed The Loft to automate referrals to a service provider and determine both acceptance or rejection of referrals and case outcomes.
We worked with Methodist Mission Southern to develop and test a fit-for-purpose end-to-end system for entry level use by social service providers. The Integrated Services Hub(external link) (ISH) provides social service providers with a practice management tool that helps them develop their data use capability, improve outcomes for clients and contribute to improving the overall effectiveness of the social sector. The ISH features a purpose-built client management system for small to medium frontline social service providers that enables useful data to be collected regardless of the service or client type.
