Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) - Building a National Picture of Child Health
Our school will take part in the AEDC this year. The AEDC is a national census that is conducted every three years by the Australian Government, in partnership with state and territory governments. It measures how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.
The AEDC is voluntary, and it does not measure how well children are doing at school, nor how their school compares to other schools. Instead, it shows how children are growing and progressing in five key areas, what is being done well and what can be improved. AEDC data is used by schools, early childhood organisations, researchers and governments to help plan and improve services and supports for children and families. This is why it is important for all children in their first year of school to be included in the AEDC.
The AEDC is completed by teachers based on their knowledge of the children. Children do not need to do anything to be included in the census and will attend class as usual while the census is conducted. The census will start on Monday 24th June 2024. Teachers will answer questions about the five key areas of early childhood development, which are: physical health and wellbeing, emotional maturity, social competence, language, and cognitive skills (school-based), and communication skills and general knowledge. You can see all the questions at https://www.aedc.gov.au/avedi.
Melanie Stephenson - Acting Middle Leader
