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Child Health Profiles - Quick Guide
When I open the profiles no data are shown
Data only appear once you have selected an area. To do this click on your area in the list provided.
How do I print the profiles?
To print the profiles click the print preview button. By clicking the red crosses on the screen any unwanted boxes, for example the maps and bar charts, can be removed. The profiles box can then be expanded by clicking the bottom right of the box and dragging down so that all the indicators are shown. For best quality the page should be printed out in landscape.
For more guidance on setting up the profiles to print on one page, click here for a demonstration.
Click the outlined elements below for further information on using the Child Health Profiles.
1 - Selected indicator
This is the indicator that has been selected on the spine chart. The default is the first indicator listed. When you click on another indicator in the list this title will change and the bar chart will change to show the corresponding data.
2 - Metadata
Click the metadata icon
next to the indicator to see details about the chosen indicator, e.g. how it is calculated, source of the data.
3 - Labels

3.1 - Local No / Year
Local No / Year is the number in the area selected (for example the number of obese children or number of children who have taken illegal drugs).
3.2 - Local ValueLocal Value is the value of the indicator for the selected area - this might be the percentage or rate (dependent on the measure and definition given in the metadata).
3.3 - Eng AvgEng Avg is the national average for the chosen indicator.
3.4 - Area 2 ValueArea 2 Value is the value of the indicator for the comparator Local Authority (LA)/Primary Care Trust (PCT). The comparator is selected by hovering the mouse over the appropriate LA/PCT.
4 - Spine Chart
Red circle - this means that the selected area is performing below the national average (the national average is illustrated by the red line).
Green circle - this means that the selected area is performing better than the national average (the national average is illustrated by the red line).
Yellow circle - this means that the selected area is not significantly different from the national average (the national average is illustrated by the red line).
White circle - this means the significance has not been tested.
The red and green circles may appear on the same side of the line. This is because for some indicators a low value is good and high is not good (eg infant mortality) and for others a high value is good and low is not good (eg GCSE results).
If a comparator is selected triangles will appear on the spine chart to show their performance for the indicators. The colours used and their meanings are the same as those for the circles.
The grey boxes on the spine chart are the upper, middle and lower quartiles and the numbers to the left and right of the grey boxes are the minimum and maximum values.
5 - Quantile Legend
The quantile legend splits the data into 5 equal groups. When a PCT/LA is selected a yellow border appears on the quantile in which the PCT/LA sits.
6 - Map Layers
By default the Strategic Health Authority or Government Office Region borders are shown on the map depending on whether the profile is PCT or LA based. This can be turned off by unchecking the tick box.
When you click the tick box next to 'background mapping' a more detailed map is shown with names of towns etc. This is only shown when the user zooms into the map.
7 - Bar Chart
The bar chart shows the data for all of the local authorities on the child health profiles. The bar for the chosen local authority will be coloured yellow so that the user can see where they stand compared to all other areas.
For more guidance on using the Data Atlas go to Help. If you need further information or would like to find out about training opportunities, contact us using the Feedback form.
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