Conducted every 3 years, the AEDC is the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world. The information gained from the census helps to shape the future and wellbeing of our children by providing evidence to support education, health and community policy and planning.
2024 census
The 6th AEDC data collection took place in Queensland schools between May and June 2024.
More than 1,400 Queensland schools participated in the 6th national collection. The data is representative of over 62,000 children, or 98% of the Queensland 2024 Prep cohort.
AEDC 2024 national, state and community level data are available to access from the national
AEDC website.
Five AEDC domains
The AEDC measures how children are developing as they transition into their first year of full-time school based on 5 key areas known as domains.
The 5
AEDC domains of child development are:
- physical health and wellbeing
- social competence
- emotional maturity
- language and cognitive skills (school-based)
- communication skills and general knowledge.
Combined, these domains provide a holistic picture of children’s development, which can be used to support curriculum and quality improvement planning.
AEDC data and Early Childhood Education and Care
AEDC data provides evidence to guide planning using Belong, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) V2.0, Queensland kindergarten learning guideline (QKLG) 2024 and National Quality Standard (NQS). The data can inform educators about areas of developmental strengths and vulnerabilities in a community and support responsive environments and programs.
AEDC results can be used by early childhood education and care services to:
The value of community-level data
AEDC data provides a snapshot of how children are developing at a community-level. By exploring the AEDC results, partners can work together to find out more about what works well and what can be improved, in the context of each individual community. This way, community partners can strengthen and target support for local children and their families. Specific examples of how communities have used the AEDC can be found in our
AEDC community stories.
Specific examples of how communities have used the AEDC can be found in our
AEDC community stories.
Key findings
AEDC 2024 community data can be accessed on the
AEDC website.
For further information or assistance, email the Queensland AEDC team at
aedc@qed.qld.gov.au.
More information
Access Queensland resources which provide guidance on understanding AEDC data and how it can be used to inform curriculum programming, planning and quality improvement.
A range of other resources, including fact sheets, community stories and guidance on understanding and using the data, are available on the national
AEDC website.
For support or enquiries, email the Queensland AEDC team at
aedc@qed.qld.gov.au.