Media Releases

10 Dec 2009 - Building a Better Picture of Australian Children's Development

The Hon Kate Ellis MP

Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth

10 December, 2009

Joint Media Release

Building a better picture of Australian children's development

Joint Media Release with The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Deputy Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth, Kate Ellis, will today release information which will help paint a better picture of early childhood development across Australia.

The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) will help Australian communities better understand how their children are doing by the time they start formal schooling.

These results will help local communities and governments provide better targeted services and support for all children in their early years and their families.

International evidence for investing in the early years in all aspects of a child's development is now overwhelming. It is particularly compelling for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Rudd Government wants all Australian children to start school as happy and confident learners; giving them the best possible start in life.

The AEDI measures the development of children in their first year of formal schooling in five key areas:

- Physical health and wellbeing;
- Social competence;
- Emotional maturity;
- Language and cognitive and communications skills; and
- General knowledge.

While the majority of Australian children are doing well, the AEDI study found that more than 23 per cent are developmentally vulnerable in one or more of these areas.

A Snapshot of Early Childhood Development in AustraliaAustralian Early Development Index (AEDI) National Report 2009 provides a comprehensive picture of how Australian children are developing in their early years.

Community maps released today will enable each local community to build an accurate picture of childhood development in their area.

The national roll-out of the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) was a key election commitment.

The Rudd Government has worked closely with State and Territory governments to deliver the AEDI to primary schools.

The AEDI information was collected through a questionnaire completed by teachers for children in their first year of formal schooling.

Between May and July this year, data was collected for over 261,000 children, representing 98 per cent of all Australian children in their first year of full-time school.

The AEDI is conducted by the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, in partnership with the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth.

To access a copy of the National Report, community maps and other information on AEDI, please visit www.aedi.org.au from 9am today.

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