Starting on Track: The Pilbara AEDI Initiative

The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) is the Australian adaptation of the Early Development Index (EDI) used in other countries, most notably Canada. It represents an innovative approach to understanding child development in Australia.
For the first time, communities have access to local data about children’s development to inform their early childhood policies and enable them to plan and organise their community based services for young children and their families.
The AEDI provides communities with a tool to focus attention on how young children are doing, and gives data that can serve as the impetus for community mobilisation and capacity building around early childhood. The AEDI is designed to also assist communities to monitor and evaluate early childhood programs and interventions.
The Starting on Track project involves the implementation of the AEDI in the areas of Hedland and Newman. The project is undertaken in partnership with BHP Billiton Iron Ore and forms part of BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s commitment to health in the Pilbara region.
The project aims to:

• use the AEDI to provide baseline data on the strengths and vulnerabilities of pre-primary age children in the Hedland and Newman communities; and

• provide training and support to communities to plan, identify and implement local and region-wide strategies and interventions to improve development outcomes for young children.

Last updated 14 August 2009