A NATIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN ...€¦ · A NATIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIA ... Professor Sven Silburn Telethon Institute for

A partnership betweenSupported by

MEASURING EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT ConferenceApril 26 - 28, 2006

Vaudreuil, QuébecCanada

A NATIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIAProcess challenges and policy implications

Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, Vaudreuil (Québec) April 26-28, 2006

www.australianedi.org.au

AcknowledgementsDr Sharon GoldfeldCentre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, VictoriaSally BrinkmanNorth Metropolitan Area Health Service, Western AustraliaMary SayersRoyal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Centre for Community Child Health, VictoriaTim LiddelowAustralian Council for Educational Research Dr Alisdair DawsAustralian Council for Educational Research Melissa CouttsCentre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, VictoriaWendy MullerTelethon Institute for Child Health Research, Western AustraliaProfessor Sven SilburnTelethon Institute for Child Health Research, Western Australia Professor Frank OberklaidCentre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, VictoriaMagdalena JanusThe Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University



www.australianedi.org.auCentre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, Vaudreuil (Québec) April 26-28, 2006


Australian statistics• Australia has a child population (0-14

years) of approximately 3.9 million, estimated as 20% of the total Australian population (19,913,144)

• Its land mass of nearly 7.7 million km2

makes it the sixth largest country in area after Russia, Canada, China, the United States and Brazil.



Outline of presentation• Background to the EDI in Australia• Adaptation of the EDI for Australia• Utility in Australian communities• Preliminary population results• Evaluation• Policy impact and implications• Conclusion



Background

• Australian policy context• School readiness in Australia• The EDI as a national tool: starting the

process



Australian Policy Context• Research about early child development• Government recognising early childhood as

a critical investment period• Community initiatives increasing through

federal and state funding• National Agenda for Early Childhood• Australian Research Alliance for Children

and Youth (ARACY)



School Readiness in Australia• Mixed views of the term “school readiness”

• AEDI has been promoted based on its potential to assist communities facilitate school transition and review child health, development and wellbeing

• Outcome measure and school entry developmental baseline



The EDI as a national tool: starting the process

• Engaging with a broad range of stakeholders early

• Reaching consensus for the Australian adaptation of the Canadian EDI

• Development of national Stakeholder Reference Group



What “sold” the EDI?• Five areas of child development:

– Language and cognitive skills– Emotional maturity– Physical health and wellbeing– Communication skills and general knowledge and – Social Competence

• Enabling an understanding of the social and environmental influences on child development

• Moving the focus of effort from the individual to the community to make a bigger difference

• Allowing communities the opportunity to “shift the curve”of a whole population



Adaptation of the EDI for Australia

• Testing the applicability

• Validation using the Growing Up in Australia longitudinal study (LSAC)



Applicability in Australia

• Pilot testing 4,600 children in Perth(2002)• Rasch scaling analysis

– Using the pilot data (9 items deleted) to develop the AEDI

– Pilot testing by teachers of 160 children– Simulation of AEDI using pilot data– Analysis of year 1



Validity study• Sub sample from LSAC of 720 of the 4

year old cohort from 3 states

• Compared domains of AEDI to:– other teacher reported measure– parent report measures



• Construct validity – the level of association between the AEDI domains and other independently reported LSAC measures of early learning and development from teachers, parents and direct assessment

• Concurrent validity - the extent to which the contemporaneously collected LSAC child development and pre-learning variables independently predict the AEDI domain scores

• Predictive validity - the extent to which the AEDI domain and overall scores predict later learning outcomes such as year 3, 5 & 7 literacy and numeracy, school behaviour and adjustment

Validity study



AEDI Domain LSAC measuresLanguage & cognitive development

PPVTParent rating of reading skillsTeacher rating of reading skillsTeacher rating of writing skillsTeacher rating of numeracy SkillsWho am I

Communication & general knowledge

Parent rating of reading skillsTeacher rating of reading skillsTeacher rating of writing skillsWho am I

Social competence SDQ (Pro-social, peer problems, conduct, hyperactivity)

Emotional MaturitySDQ (As above and the emotional symptoms subscale)

Physical Health and wellbeingPEDS-QL

Overall health rating by parent


AEDI Language and cognitive skills/ LSAC outcomes measures

AEDLang& cogskills

PPVT WAI PEDSexpressive

PEDSreceptive

Readingindex

Teacherreading

Teacherwriting

PPVT .342**WAI .491** .319**PEDS QLexpressive

.245** .126** .200**

PEDS QLreceptive

.208** .164** .127** .403**

Readingindex

.136** .128** .273** .075* .036

Teacherreading

.620** .333** .392** .151** .124** .113**

Teacherwriting

.691** .256** .475** .190** .169** .122** .571**

Teachernumeric

.698** .329** .367** .076* .118** .081* .473** .554**

** correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed), * correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2 tailed)



Concurrent and construct validity findings

• For each AEDI domain, those LSAC outcomes where the information was completed by the teacher provided stronger correlations with AEDI outcomes than the LSAC outcomes assessed by the parent

• In all of the associations examined, the direction of the observed correlations were as expected

• The level of significance of the observed correlations show the AEDI to have sound concurrent and construct validity



Utility in Australian communities

• National implementation

• The AEDI National Support Centre

• Web based data entry



The AEDI implementation :• Reorient community-level services and systems for young

children and their families across the country

• Provide the community with baseline data about how children in their area are faring

• Assist in the development and strengthening of relationships between key agencies and stakeholders in the community.

• Facilitate community mobilisation and the development of forward planning and action, based on the results of the AEDI.



AEDI National Support Centre• Advisory groups

– Technical Advisory Group (international)– Steering Group (AEDI partnership)– Mapping Advisory Group (international)– Stakeholder Reference Group (National)

• Community supports– Community Preparation and Dissemination

Guides/Training– Telephone support



• Data entry and analysis– Web based data entry support– Community Report and Profile– Web mapping capacity

• Evaluation– Prospective evaluation

• Communication– Web support

AEDI National Support Centre


Perth East Metropolitan region

Proportion of children vulnerable on one or more domains

Prepared by: AEDI National Support CentreSource: AEDI Communities Data 2004/05

MucheaMucheaMucheaMucheaMucheaMucheaMucheaMucheaMuchea

Sawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers ValleySawyers Valley

MidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandMidlandWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridgeWoodbridge

Middle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle SwanMiddle Swan

Swan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan ViewSwan View

Jane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane BrookJane Brook

StrattonStrattonStrattonStrattonStrattonStrattonStrattonStrattonStratton

North PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth PerthNorth Perth

Mount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount HawthornMount Hawthorn

MarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooMarangarooGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenGirrawheenKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoolaKoondoola

BallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajuraBallajura

MirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaMirrabookaWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminsterWestminster

BeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboroBeechboro

BalgaBalgaBalgaBalgaBalgaBalgaBalgaBalgaBalga

Alexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander HeightsAlexander Heights

DarchDarchDarchDarchDarchDarchDarchDarchDarch

GuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildfordGuildford

CavershamCavershamCavershamCavershamCavershamCavershamCavershamCavershamCaversham

GreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmountGreenmount

LockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridgeLockridge

Helena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena ValleyHelena Valley

Eden HillEden HillEden HillEden HillEden HillEden HillEden HillEden HillEden Hill

South GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth GuildfordSouth Guildford

DarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlingtonDarlington

Glen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen ForrestGlen Forrest MundaringMundaringMundaringMundaringMundaringMundaringMundaringMundaringMundaring

Mahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany CreekMahogany Creek

HoveaHoveaHoveaHoveaHoveaHoveaHoveaHoveaHovea

StonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStonevilleStoneville

ParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkervilleParkerville

Henley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley BrookHenley Brook

Herne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillHerne HillWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest SwanWest Swan

MorleyMorleyMorleyMorleyMorleyMorleyMorleyMorleyMorley

HighgateHighgateHighgateHighgateHighgateHighgateHighgateHighgateHighgate

ChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlowChidlow

Upper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper SwanUpper Swan

EllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookEllenbrookBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhusBelhus

The VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe VinesThe Vines

Mount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount HelenaMount Helena

GidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannupGidgegannup

BullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrookBullsbrook

Proportion of children vulnerableN=Percent

34.4 to 63.924.5 to 34.318.5 to 24.410.5 to 18.40 to 10.4

East Metropolitan Perth, WACentre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, Vaudreuil (Québec) April 26-28, 2006

Mapping of community resources for children



Goals of web based data entry system• Develop an easy way for teachers to complete the

AEDI checklist for their students in a secure fashion

• AEDI administrators can download data for analysis as a community completes resulting in short turn around times for cleaning of data, analysis and reporting to communities

• Ability to make easy amendments to improve the performance of the system as necessary ensures ongoing costs kept to a minimum


Web based data entry system

Online guide for answering questions



Web based data entry feedback

Average completion time (20 mins per child)

Feedback N= 596 teachers

AEDI Checklists easy to complete for most or all children

97%

I found the web based data entry system easy to use

95%



Population results

• Population subgroups

• Disadvantaged populations

• Multi level modelling



Progress to date

• In 2004 and 2005, 28 communities from 5 states and territories implemented the AEDI

• 475 primary schools, both government and non-government, have been involved

• 1,037 teachers completed AEDI checklists on a total of 18,619 children in the first year of full-time schooling


Community locations

2004-2005

Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development,

Vaudreuil (Québec) April 26-28, 2006

Age of children

Number Mean Std. Deviation

Australian Capital Territory 450 5.80 .39

Victoria 8,348 6.05 .42

Queensland 2,099 6.47 .42

South Australia 515 5.81 .41

Western Australia 7,196 5.84 .40

Total 18608 6.00 .46

Source: AEDI Communities Data 2004/2005


Age of children Canada/Australia

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

3-8

to 3

-10

3-11

to 4

-1

4-2

to 4

-4

4-5

to 4

-7

4-8

to 4

-10

4-11

to 5

-1

5-2

to 5

-4

5-5

to 5

-7

5-8

to 5

-10

5-11

to 6

-1

6-2

to 6

-4

6-5

to 6

-7

6-8

to 6

-10

6-11

and

up

% CanadaAustralia

Source: AEDI Communities Data 2004/2005 and Canadian EDI National SK Cohort Results 2004/2005


CanadaMean age 5.72

AustraliaMean age 6.00

Above meanage

Below meanage

Above meanage

Below meanage

Physical health andwellbeing 8.93 8.63 9.03 8.74

Social competence 8.50 8.13 8.48 8.21

Emotional maturity 8.14 7.93 8.20 8.02

Language andcognitivedevelopment

8.66 8.18 9.04 8.35

Communication skillsand generalknowledge

7.95 7.36 8.20 7.69

Age: Canada/Australia



Population subgroup: AboriginalCanada Australia

Aboriginal NotAboriginal Aboriginal Not

Aboriginal





7.15 8.48 7.16 8.75

Communicationskills and generalknowledge

6.47 7.71 6.49 8.00

% Aboriginal /Not Aboriginal 4.8% 94.2% 4.2% 95.8%



Population subgroup: ESLCanada Australia

ESL Non-ESL ESL Non-ESL





7.60 8.51 7.96 8.75

Communicationskills and generalknowledge

4.77 7.90 5.59 8.15

% ESL/ Non-ESL 8.5% 91.5% 8.6% 91.4%Source: AEDI Communities Data 2004/2005 and Canadian EDI National SK Cohort Results 2004/2005


7.00

7.50

8.00

8.50

9.00

9.50

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5

SEIFA Quintile

AED

I Dom

ain

scor

e

Physical health and wellbeing

Social competence

Emotional maturity

Language and cognitive skills

Communication skills and generalknowledge

AEDI matched to SEIFA Index of disadvantage

Source: AEDI Communities Data 2004/2005Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, Vaudreuil (Québec) April 26-28, 2006

Multi-level modelling• Socio-economics of the individual communities

accounts for a significant proportion of the variation in AEDI domain scores

• Children classified as special needs by their pre-primary teacher perform poorly across all the AEDI domain

• Indigenous children perform poorly in comparison to non-indigenous with the greatest difference found on the Language and Cognitive domain

• The effect size of pre-school attendance is weak when compared with the other variables entered into the model.



Evaluation

• Barriers and facilitators in communities• Mobilisation, dissemination and action



0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Completing the Expression of Interest

Finding a coordinator

Engaing schools Accessing funding

Completing the Selection

Application

Overall Selection Process

Average 1st Year

Average 2nd Year Average both Years

Local AEDI Coordinator’s rating of community’s experience with AEDI Selection Process

Evaluation resultsVery difficult

Very easy



Barriers and facilitators

• Internal facilitating factors– eg existing partnerships or initiatives

• External facilitating factors– eg State support, AEDI National Support Centre

• Barriers– Funds for teacher relief, geographic distances



Community mobilisationFeedback N= 596

teachers

My involvement will assist our community to better understand the health, development and wellbeing of children in our area

83%

The experience of completing the AEDI will be beneficial to my work

63%

Completing the AEDI checklists was a good use of my time

62%



“The AEDI results have got people thinking about where they can be

proactive within their community and the early years….We are beginning to see changes in people’s perceptions of the importance of the early years and the AEDI is helping to create enthusiasm.”

(Victorian community member)



Policy impact & implications



Policy impact

• AEDI has already influenced policies at a state and local level

• Current opportunity to further influence at a national level

• Nation wide interest as a community mobilisation and planning tool



Policy implications

• Communities need further support to translate the AEDI data to planning and action

• Need to build an ongoing intervention evidence base and infrastructure

• Ensure the AEDI maintains it’s full utility to mobilise, plan and evaluate action for children communities



Conclusions



1. An internationally developed tool can be relatively easily adapted and validated in Australia.

2. A nationally consistent tool enables state level differences to be overcome.

3. A population measure of child development can assist communities to mobilise and plan around children

4. Australian children appear to not differ greatly at a population level from Canadian children.

5. Indigenous children are doing more poorly than non indigenous children.

6. International collaborations strengthen the early childhood policy environment.

7. National child development data helps inform the local, state and federal policy environments in Australia.




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A NATIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN ...€¦ · A NATIONAL APPROACH TO MEASURING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIA ... Professor Sven Silburn Telethon Institute for