A snapshot of early childhood development in Australia

  In 2009, the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) was completed nationwide for the first time. Between 1 May and 31 July, information was collected on 261,203 children (97.5 per cent of the estimated national five-year-old population). The AEDI is a population measure of children’s development in communities across Australia. The AEDI gives us a national picture of children’s health and development – a first for Australia. The results pinpoint strengths in the community as well as what can be improved. The AEDI provides information to help us build and strengthen our communities for our children and for Australia. The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) is funded by the Australian Government and is conducted by the Centre for Community Child Health (at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and a key research centre of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute) in partnership with the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth. This report was written by the Centre for Community Child Health (at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and a key research centre of the Murdoch Children\u27s Research Institute) and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations