New AEDC data provides national insight into early childhood development

The latest results from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) offer an important snapshot of how young children are faring as they enter their first year of full-time school providing insights that can shape early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs and policies across the country.

Conducted every three years, the AEDC is Australia’s only national measure of early childhood development. It collects data across five domains that are critical to a child’s readiness for learning and lifelong wellbeing:

• physical health and wellbeing
• social competence
• emotional maturity
• language and cognitive skills (school-based)
• communication skills and general knowledge.

The 2024 AEDC collection, which ran from May to July, involved 288,483 children from 7,368 schools representing 94.6 per cent of all eligible children nationally. This makes the AEDC one of the most comprehensive early childhood datasets globally.

Key findings from the 2024 AEDC

• 52.9 per cent of children were developmentally on track across all five domains (OT5), a drop from 54.8 per cent in 2021.
• 23.5 per cent were developmentally vulnerable on one or more domains (DV1), up from 22.0 per cent.
• 12.5 per cent were vulnerable on two or more domains (DV2), up from 11.4 per cent and the highest level recorded to date.
• Developmental vulnerability increased across all five AEDC domains, with emotional maturity showing the greatest rise (up 1.5 percentage points since 2021).
• For First Nations children, OT5 rates stabilised at 33.9 per cent, while DV1 and DV2 rates remained steady diverging from national trends.
• Children from language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE) saw a drop in OT5 from 50.3 per cent to 48.0 per cent, while DV2 rose to 14.7 per cent.
• Developmental readiness declined across all SEIFA quintiles, with children in the most disadvantaged areas continuing to show the lowest outcomes.

While these results reflect a modest decline in overall developmental progress, they also underscore the AEDC’s role in guiding responsive action. The data highlights where supports are needed most and where systems can be strengthened to ensure children particularly those experiencing disadvantage receive appropriate, timely assistance.

Key uses of the AEDC data include:

• Planning and policy development: Government agencies use the data to inform strategies for early intervention and to direct funding and resources where they are most needed.
• Community and service delivery: ECEC services, schools, and local councils use AEDC results to strengthen program design, improve transitions to school, and ensure that support services are accessible and well-targeted.
• Research and evaluation: The data provides a nationally consistent baseline that supports longitudinal studies and evidence-based practice across disciplines.

For ECEC professionals, the AEDC offers a foundation for curriculum development, staff training and family engagement especially in communities where developmental vulnerability is high.

Accessing the data

The release of the 2024 results is supported by a refreshed AEDC website, featuring new interactive tools, enhanced visualisations and downloadable resources. Stakeholders are encouraged to:

• explore national summaries and community profiles
• compare data across AEDC cycles
• use available templates for local planning and engagement
• learn how to interpret and apply AEDC results effectively.

The AEDC continues to be a vital instrument for building inclusive, equitable and high-quality early learning systems. Grounded in strong evidence, it enables more informed decisions that support children’s wellbeing and learning from their earliest years.

To access the AEDC Key Findings 2024, visit here.

For resources and data tools, visit the AEDC website.