This data element refers to the number of hours of service (support) received by an individual client during a reporting period. Time measured includes:

(a) time spent directly assisting a client and

(b) time spent by an agency worker in arranging a service for the client, which may include arranging accommodation

The agency should record the amount of assistance in hours and minutes- rounding up to the nearest 15 minutes. Include any contact with a client that is 15 minutes or greater. Include time spent on arranging accommodation for a client but exclude time spent in that accommodation by the client.

Do not record the time the client receives from partnering agencies who provide the services purchased, arranged or brokered by your agency.

This measure refers to the direct hours of support that are provided to clients. This may include time spent in face-to-face service delivery, meetings or phone contact with a client or time spent undertaking tasks on behalf of a client (e.g. time spent on preparation of documents, file notes, correspondence, phone calls or liaison with other service providers in relation to the client).

Activities to include:

Time spent with client

• face-to-face time spent providing a specific service (individually or in a group setting)
• assessment
• case management
• community education
• phone contact with a client

Time spent on behalf of the client (or which can be attributed to a client)

• arranging a referral
• writing file notes
• participating in case conferences directly related to a client, which may include contact with other agencies – e.g. inter-agency meetings, case planning meetings
• review of case plans
• recording data at time of assessment
• mobile service delivery 
• telephone calls made on behalf of a client
• preparation for group activities or training events.

Not counted in hours of service:

• team meetings
• travel
• training
• networking meetings
• getting supervision
• compiling or entering data for reporting
• collating data.

This measure excludes time spent on things that cannot be directly attributed to clients, such as: administration, business planning, staff training, travel to and from a client, record keeping not directly related to a client, compiling data for reporting purposes, inter-agency meetings not directly related to a client, team meetings and professional supervision. It includes time spent on behalf of a client having accommodation arranged but excludes the actual time spent by the client in that accommodation.

Where clients receive support in a group setting, record the hours received for all attending clients (i.e. do not divide group hours by the number of clients. For example, where a staff member runs a 2-hour group activity for 3 clients, count each client as receiving 2 hours of service. If a client spends an hour with two workers, record this as 1 hour received by the client.). This approach ensures a consistent focus on the hours of assistance received by clients.

Example: a client receives 11 hours of assistance from an agency over a 4-week period, which includes time spent on needs assessment, assistance in accessing community services, counselling and advocacy. This is counted as 1100 hours.