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The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) is a national population-based measure of how young children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school. It is the only measure of its kind in Australia, and Australia is the only country conducting this census nationally.
The AEDC highlights what needs to be improved to support children and their families. It also helps communities know how their children are progressing.
Nearly a quarter (23.8%) of South Australian reception students had 1 or more developmental vulnerabilities in 2021, a 0.1 percentage point decrease since 2018. The 2021 data also shows an increase of 0.5 percentage point to 53.7% of children developmentally on track across the 5 AEDC domains (physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills (school-based), communication skills and general knowledge).
Despite the slight changes in the 2021 collection results, the proportion of our children who are developmentally vulnerable has been on the rise since 2009, as opposed to most other states where vulnerability has decreased. Developmental vulnerability in South Australia has now spread across all socioeconomic levels and geographic areas indicating further work is needed to get the balance between universal and targeted approaches right.
South Australia’s 2021 AEDC results are available in 4 snapshots and a map, providing data and key findings in more detail.
View the 2021 AEDC national report.
In 2019 the South Australian Child Development Council established the Outcomes Framework for Children and Young People (PDF 1.11MB) to monitor, track and report the outcomes of our state’s children and young people (birth to 18 years) in 5 dimensions: health, safety, wellbeing, education and citizenship. The Child Development Council’s report card – how are they faring specifically highlighted these AEDC trends in South Australia. Find out more about the South Australian Child Development Council on their website.
Research into how we can support children to be developmentally on track on all 5 AEDC domains by the time they start school is important. It helps all levels of government, community and education sectors with planning, policy, service and program decisions.
Visit the researcher section of the AEDC website.
How the data is collected
Data is collected every 3 years by teachers of children in their first year of full-time school, in schools across Australia. Five sets of data are now available from 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2021. Around 300,000 children take part in each collection. This forms a robust evidence base to inform research.
The data is collected using the Australian version of the Early Development Instrument. This is made up of around 100 tested and validated questions.
Using AEDC data in research
You can use AEDC data with other resources to plan and evaluate ways to improve early childhood development outcomes.
Uses of the AEDC data include:
- research about early childhood development
- informing schools of ways to improve their practices
- informing the development and evaluation of national, state and community priorities, programs and policies, through statistical analysis and publication of information about the early development of children.
If you have an AEDC story to share, please email Education.AEDCTeam [at] sa.gov.au.
The reporting, publication and analysis of AEDC data and results must follow the AEDC data guidelines.
Find out more about researcher responsibilities.
Accessing AEDC data
The AEDC results are reported at a national, state, community and school level.
AEDC Data is available in the following formats:
- National, state and territory, community
- AEDC data (data explorer, data products and key findings)
- South Australia
To request other AEDC data contact the Data Management Agency by email support@aedc.gov.au. For more information go to the AEDC contact page.
The reporting, publication and/or analysis of AEDC data and results must be in accordance with the AEDC data guidelines.
