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AEDI Dissemination and Action Phase

This section provides a brief overview of the Dissemination and Action Phase of the AEDI process. More information about this phase is provided in the Community Dissemination and Action Guide. A copy of this Guide will be sent to communities once the Preparation and Implementation Phases have been completed and will accompany the AEDI Community Profile.

The Community Dissemination and Action Guide includes:

• The full-report with explanations of the results and the AEDI results geographically mapped along with other socio-demographic information about the local area.
• A PowerPoint presentation to assist with conducting presentations about the results.
• Guidance on how the results can assist in mobilising the community to develop a community action plan around early childhood.
• A local Media Strategy with tips about releasing information to the media.

Understanding the results

Once each community has completed the AEDI, results are sent to the AEDI National Support Centre for analysis and mapping. Communities are then forwarded their AEDI Community Profile. The AEDI Community Profile provides the following information:

• Socio-demographic information about the AEDI community
• Background information about the children in the AEDI community
• AEDI results for each domain, presented in tables and geographic maps.

Most communities who have participated in the AEDI have found the Community Profiles and maps easy to read and understand. Many communities found the maps that are included in the Community Profile a useful way to visualise how well the children in their areas were doing. The results were understood by a range of people from different sectors within the community. The maps from the 2004 to 2008 geographic areas can be viewed at AEDI Maps Online 

Communities were able to identify with what the AEDI results were showing about their local area, articulate areas of concern and identify areas where the community was doing well.

The results showed both surprises and expected outcomes for communities and provided them with an evidence base to make informed decisions about the areas of child development that they could better support.

Dissemination of results

One of the critical components of the AEDI results dissemination is ownership of the results at a local community level. Unless the community as a whole has a sense of ownership it will be difficult to make changes in response to the findings. Whilst your results will not be available until later in 2009, there are some activities that you might consider doing now to assist in preparing the community for the results.

Key features of a dissemination plan could include:

• Who will be the key people/groups to disseminate the AEDI results?
• Why do these organisations/groups need to be engaged in the results?
• How and when this is going to be done?

Communities have disseminated the results by:

• Emailing the AEDI Community Profile (although note that this document is very large).
• Placing the AEDI Community Profile on a locally relevant website.
• Inviting a guest speaker to present on the AEDI results at established meetings (such as District Education meetings, Early Years Strategy groups, State Health meetings).
• Organising dedicated AEDI forums.
• Telephoning and speaking with relevant people.
• Face-to-face meetings.

Click here to view a sample results dissemination plan proforma.

Communities who have completed the AEDI in 2004 to 2008 have disseminated the results to:

• School principals.
• Early years groups and professionals.
• District education agencies.
• Community organisations.
• Local Aboriginal/ Torres Strait Islander groups.
• Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population groups, ethnic community groups and agencies.
• Local government representatives and officials.
• State government health and community development representatives and officials.
• Paediatric and maternal child health nurse professional groups.
• Health centres.
• The media.

Acting on the AEDI Results

More information about disseminating and responding to the AEDI results will be provided with the Community Dissemination and Action Guide.

Fact sheets

• Sample Results Dissemination Plan Proforma. This proforma may assist in the dissemination plan. This is a guide only and it is anticipated that every community will both disseminate and use the results differently depending on their needs and the intended use of the results.