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Some progress for Australian children but much more still to do

12 April 2013

The Smith Family has welcomed data from the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) showing improvements in some key areas of children's development, but has urged all governments to move quickly to implement a new system of school funding based on student need.

"Today's release of data from the Australian Early Development Index showing one in five children are starting school developmentally vulnerable in one or more key areas, shows we still have some way to go if all children are to reach their full potential," said Dr Lisa O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer of The Smith Family.

"We welcome the decline in the proportion of children who are starting school behind in key areas such as language and cognitive skills. However, the fact that around 60,000 children are struggling in one or more key areas highlights that we need to keep our attention on both the pre-school years, as well as what happens to students as they move through school. We therefore urge the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments to sign up to a school funding approach based on student need" said Dr O'Brien.

"We know that the AEDI is a useful predictor of later academic and behavioural outcomes. We also know that as children progress through schools, significant numbers of them are not achieving key educational outcomes, such as meeting literacy and numeracy standards or completing Year 12. And the groups of young people who tend not to do as well as their peers are those from low socio-economic or Indigenous backgrounds, those with a disability and those living in more remote areas," said Dr O'Brien.

"Australia's school system must aim to be both high quality and highly equitable. Currently, the relationship between Australian students' background and the educational outcomes they achieve is stronger than in other high performing OECD countries such as Canada. We must change this if we're to realise the potential of all young Australians."

"The AEDI data shows Australia has made some important gains in improving where children are at as they begin school. But if we're to ensure all children and young people are to achieve key educational outcomes as they progress through school, our approach to funding schools must reflect where there is greatest need."

"The upcoming COAG meeting on April 19 provides an important opportunity for both the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments to commit to a new model of funding. We urge them to take this opportunity in the interests of Australia's social and economic prosperity, now and into the future." 

Note: The AEDI measures children's development across 5 areas as they enter school. The 5 areas are: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; and communication skills and general knowledge. 96.5% of children in their first year of school were involved in the data collected for 2012