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AEDI Preparation Phase

The following outlines a number of the key engagement actions found to be helpful in the AEDI Preparation Phase. Not all these actions may be needed depending on the current initiatives and awareness for the AEDI and they do not need to be undertaken in order.

Identifying local champions

One of the major findings from the evaluations conducted in Australia and Canada was that local level champions can be a very important catalyst for raising awareness of the AEDI and for working with the community when the results are released.

In the Australian Early Development Index: Building Better Communities for Children project conducted between 2004 and 2007, all communities self nominated to join the project. These communities had already identified local champions to assist with the AEDI process. Local champions came from a wide  range of sectors and areas employed in:

• Local government
• The schools sector
• The health sector
• Community neighbourhood renewal projects
• Early Years Initiatives such as: Communities for Children,  Best Start (Vic), the Early Years Strategy (WA).

Many local champions were already leaders for early childhood development in their communities. The AEDI process can assist your community to develop local champions for early childhood development.

Harnessing existing or creating new early years networks or coalitions

It has been found in Australia and Canada, that the process of preparing and implementing the AEDI/EDI can be a useful way to build and strengthen inter-sectoral and agency collaboration within a community. This will facilitate the success of both the implementation and dissemination phases of the AEDI.

The AEDI will ultimately assist communities to:

• Build a rich and supportive environment for families with young  children.
• Develop ways in which the service system is able to better respond to the emerging needs of young children and their families.
• Build a well-coordinated system of services for young children and their families.

However, there will be differences between the communities who utilise the AEDI. Some communities will have already formed strong collaborations between the schools sector, the early childhood sector and agencies working with families and children. Others may have partnerships with some sectors and agencies, but not all, and others will still be working towards developing these partnerships.

A community early years or partnership group (that is community members that come together to discuss, organise and plan for community based early childhood initiatives), may be very helpful in raising awareness of the AEDI in the lead up to national implementation. This group could also be a catalyst for developing a community based action plan once the results have released to the community.

This community early years or partnership group may also want to spend the coming months gathering community based data that will provide helpful contextual information for when the AEDI results are released. Some contextual information to explore may include (but is not limited to):

• What early childhood services and supports are available in our community for families with young children?
• Are the services located in the right places to meet families’ needs?
• Are vulnerable families accessing services (i.e. are they accessible to all families including the hard to reach)?
• How long have the services been there and who is actually accessing them?
• Are there long waiting lists for services?
• Is there integration of services (i.e. are families needs being met in a holistic way or do they need to access multiple services for assistance), and are there appropriate referral pathways?
• What are the risk and protective factors present in the community for children and families?
• What community services and resources are available for families?
• What other community, state or national level indicators are available for the community across the health, community and education spectrum that will help show how well the community is supporting early childhood development?

Engaging key community stakeholders

In the AEDI Preparation Phase, there are some early activities that could be useful in engaging the broader community in the AEDI. Activities could include holding information forums, local service provider and existing network meetings discussing the AEDI and sharing information.

Examples of the types of groups that have been to be found important to engage and provide information about the AEDI process at the local community level include:

• Schools and regional education groups.
• The local Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander groups (e.g. school based Indigenous staff, local leaders, ‘strong women’ groups, playgroups, Indigenous radio and local media).
• Other Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) population groups, ethnic community groups and agencies.
• Early childhood education services (e.g. Child Care Services, Preschool/Kindergartens, Family Day Care).
• Health and allied health services (e.g. Child Health Centre Maternal and Child Health, GP networks etc).
• Family support agencies.
• Local government and other community agencies/ services (e.g. local church organisations).

Useful Fact sheets

• Community Engagement Resources. Provides a list of resources publicly available to community to assist in community engagement processes.
• Community Engagement Planning Proforma. To assist in identifying the key stakeholders that need to be engaged.
• Key Contacts List. To assist with engaging key community stakeholders, a list has been provided with space to include contact details for each person and organisation consulted.