Research snapshots
Research snapshot
Perinatal Predictors of Child Development
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare defines the perinatal period as the time between the end of the 20th week of pregnancy and the 28th day after birth. Perinatal data are routinely collected in each Australian state and territory though there is some variation in the data collected between jurisdictions. This research snapshot looks at these issues in further detail.
Research snapshot
Investigating and Accessing Funding
This guideline is a resource to support AEDC stakeholders in communities to seek out and apply for funding. Some communities may require short term funding to enable them to establish a program or drive collaboration. The information contained within this guideline is designed to support the exploration of alternative funding options to enable these responses to the AEDC that cannot be funded within existing budgets, and to provide some useful strategies around formulating successful applications.
Research snapshot
Early Childhood Education and Care and the Transition to School
Starting school is a significant milestone in a child’s life. The success of this transition can have lasting implications for their academic and occupational success. In Australia, more than 20 per cent of children entering school experience some developmental vulnerability such as difficulties in social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, or communication skills and general knowledge. This research snapshot looks at these issues in further detail.
Fact sheets
Fact sheet
AEDC Key Findings 2024
The AEDC Key Findings 2024 fact sheet summarises the results for the 2024 collection, the sixth AEDC collection to take place since it's beginning in 2009.
Fact sheet
Identifying and Planning for Children’s Development
This factsheet provides an overview of the different ways information about children’s learning and development can be identified and measured.
Fact sheet
Schools sector messages
The AEDC is a reliable measure of child development across five domains. This document summarises some key information for schools.
Fact sheet
AEDC policy placemat
A summary of what has been learned from AEDC research and results, and the key policy and research gaps remaining.
Reports
Report
2021 AEDC Data Collection Technical Report
This report documents the technical aspects of the 2021 AEDC Data Collection, with a particular emphasis on the documentation of processes, workflows and response dynamics.
Report
2018 AEDC Data Collection Technical Report
This report sets out to document the technical aspects of the 2018 AEDC Data Collection, with a particular emphasis on the documentation of processes, workflows and response dynamics.
Report
Technical Report: Exploring Two New Indices for the AEDC Program
There has been significant interest in the concept of identifying children or communities with ‘strengths’ in child development, and whether certain items from the AvEDI could be used for this purpose.
Report
AEDC 2012 Summary Report
This publication provides the summary results from the 2012 Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) data collection, including comparative data from the 2009 and 2012 collections.
Community stories
Community story
Early Learning Strategy (SA)
AEDC data showed higher proportions of developmental vulnerability in the physical health and wellbeing, social competence and emotional maturity domains for children in South Australia.
Community story
A Village for Every Child (ACT)
Belconnen is a large region in Canberra’s northwest. Between 2018 and 2021 there was a statistically significant increase in children considered to be developmentally vulnerable on one or more domains.
Community story
Gungahlin (ACT)
Gungahlin is a rapidly growing region in Canberra’s far north. Between 2015 and 2018, there were increases in vulnerability across all five domains, with significant increases in physical health and wellbeing, and social competence. This highlights a need for further early childhood development support.
Community story
Belconnen (ACT)
Belconnen is a large region in Canberra’s northwest. There was a significant increase in children developmentally vulnerable on two or more domains between 2012 and 2018, highlighting the need for further support.
School stories
School story
Westfield Park Primary School (WA)
Westfield Park Primary School serves a highly transient community in Perth’s south-east.
School story
Ashdale Cluster Attends the AEDC National Conference (WA)
Along with ten other WA school leaders and teachers, four Deputy Principals were selected to attend the AEDC National Conference to learn about what is having an impact on early years’ outcomes.
School story
Longreach State School (QLD)
The remote farming community of Longreach lies in central west Queensland.
Data stories
Data story
School-based Language and Cognitive Skills: AEDC 2021 Data Story
This data story explores the AEDC language and cognitive skills (school-based) domain.
Data story
National Trends in Child Development: AEDC 2021 Data Story
This data story provides an overview of the first five AEDC collections (2009–2021).
Data story
How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Children?: AEDC 2021 Data Story
This data story explores the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian children.
Data story
How Can We Improve Equity in Early Childhood?: AEDC 2021 Data Story
This data story explores inequities in children’s development related to social, economic and geographic factors.
Videos
Instrument questions
Instrument questions
2024 Early Development Instrument Questions
The questions and response criteria from the 2024 Early Development Instrument.
Instrument questions
2021 Early Development Instrument Questions
The questions and response criteria from the 2021 Early Development Instrument.
Instrument questions
2018 Early Development Instrument Questions
The questions and response criteria from the 2018 Early Development Instrument.
Instrument questions
2012 Early Development Instrument Questions
This guide contains the questions used in the Australian version of the Early Development Instrument for the 2012 collection.
National reports
National report
2024 AEDC National Report
The 2024 AEDC National Report outlines the results for the 2024 collection and trends over time. The 2024 collection is the sixth AEDC collection to take place since it's beginning in 2009.
National report
2021 AEDC National Report
The national report from the 2021 collection. The 2021 AEDC data shows the majority of children were identified as ‘developmentally on track’ for each of the five AEDC domains.
National report
2009 National Report
The national report from the very first collection in 2009.
User guides
User guide
User Guide: Early Childhood Services and Schools
This guide leads early childhood services and schools through the steps they might take when thinking about how to respond to AEDC data.
User guide
User Guide: Local Government
This guide leads local government through the steps they might take when thinking about how to respond to AEDC data.
User guide
User Guide: Community Service Organisations
This guide leads community service organisations through the steps they might take when thinking about how to respond to AEDC data.
User guide
User Guide: Policy Makers and Government Executive
This guide leads policy makers through the steps they might take when thinking about how to respond to AEDC data.