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Data

The AEDC census data provides a snapshot of children's development that can inform communities and support planning, policy and action.
 

How the data can be viewed

Understanding AEDC community boundaries

AEDC geographic boundaries are defined for the whole country to ensure that the data is reported in the most useful way possible, but still align with commonly understood geography, such as suburbs. Those boundaries enable AEDC results to be reported at four different geographic levels: Local Community, Community, State/Territory and National.

To enable trend analysis and accurate comparison of AEDC and socio-demographic data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the current version of the AEDC geography is based off the 2021 ASGS and has been applied retrospectively to all years of data collection. 

Learn about the AEDC community boundaries

What we are measuring

The five AEDC domains provide an insight at a community level into the learning and development needs of young children. The AEDC is also a useful predictor of future development and learning, indicating how well early childhood education programs have prepared them for future learning experiences.

The 5 AEDC domains

Physical health

Child is ready each day, healthy and independent, and has excellent gross and fine motor skills

Social competence

Child gets along with others and shares, is self confident

Emotional maturity

Child is able to concentrate, help others, is patient, not aggressive or angry

Language and cognitive skills

Child is interested in reading or writing, can count and recognise numbers and shapes

Communication

Child can tell a story, communicate with adults and children, articulate themselves