About the AEDI
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) was first implemented nationwide in 2009. The Australian Government's commitment to the AEDI will enable data to be collected nationally every three years for around 270,000 children in their first year of full-time school.
The next data collection will take place from May to July 2012, with results expected in 2013.
The AEDI is a population measure of young children's development. Like a census, it involves collecting information to help create a snapshot of children's development in communities across
- physical health and wellbeing
- social competence
- emotional maturity
- language and cognitive skills (school-based)
- communication skills and general knowledge
These areas are closely linked to the predictors of good adult health, education and social outcomes.
As a population measure, the AEDI places the focus on all children in the community; it examines early childhood development across the whole community. By moving the focus of effort from the individual child to all children in the community we can make a bigger difference in supporting efforts to create optimal early childhood development.
Although the AEDI is completed by teachers, results are reported for the communities where children live, not where they go to school. The AEDI results allow communities to see how local children are doing relative to, or compared to other children in their community, and across Australia.
Results from the next AEDI will be publicly available for around 96 per cent of Australian communities in 2013. They will be provided through a national report, online community maps and community profiles.
