About the AEDC domains

The five AEDC domains have been shown to predict later mental health, wellbeing and academic success.

The AEDC is completed by teachers of children in their first year of full-time school.

Teachers collect their data using an instrument (like a questionnaire) called the Australian version of the Early Development Instrument (AvEDI). It has about 100 questions, which ask about aspects of children’s development across five domains:

  • physical health and wellbeing
  • social competence
  • emotional maturity
  • language and cognitive skills (school-based)
  • communication skills and general knowledge.
child watering plants with teacher's assistance

Physical health and wellbeing

This domain is about children physically coping with the school day. For example, questions explore their independence, motor skills and energy levels through the school day.

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Social competence

This domain looks at how children get along with others, working and playing with other children and adults.

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Emotional maturity

This domain explores children’s behaviour. This includes aggression, anxiety, or impulsive behaviours. It also looks at levels of concentration and ability to help others.

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Language and cognitive skills (school-based)

This domain explores children’s literacy and numeracy skills, such as their ability to write simple sentences and complex words, to count and recognise numbers and shapes.

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Communication skills and general knowledge

This domain explores how children communicate, such as if they can tell a story, talk with both children and adults, and any problems with articulation.

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Fact sheet: About the AEDC Domains

The About the AEDC Domains fact sheet outlines how groups of children are considered developmentally ‘on track’, 'at risk' or 'vulnerable’ on each domain.

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Children with teacher in classroom.

For each of the five domains, children are classified as ‘developmentally on track’, ‘developmentally at risk’ or ‘developmentally vulnerable’.

Scores from the first AEDC data collection in 2009, provide a reference point against which later AEDC results can be compared over time.

Children's data are combined and reported publicly at a community, state/territory and national level. Eligible participating schools also receive AEDC results for their students.

Data for individual children is not reported in the AEDC.

Fact sheet: AEDC Summary Indicators

The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) uses three main summary indicators that reveal children's developmental strengths and vulnerabilities. This fact sheet provides an overview of these indicators, how they are calculated and how to interpret them.

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Community Data Explorer

Navigate the AEDC Community Data Explorer and understand the data.

Use the Community Data Explorer
A screen capture of the AEDC Data Explorer in use, which shows statistics