The percentage of children experiencing developmental vulnerability before they start school is significantly higher in remote and outer regional areas than in cities, according to new analysis of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data released by The Front Project today.

While the recently released AEDC data showed more than 63,000 Australian children were assessed as developmentally vulnerable when they started school in 2021, The Front Project’s new report ‘SUPPORTING ALL CHILDEN TO THRIVE - The importance of equity in early childhood education’, now explores in detail where these children live, their circumstances, and what can be done do to help them.

“In Australia, a postcode should not be a factor resulting in increased rates of child developmental vulnerability, but as our analysis demonstrates, that is unfortunately the case,” The Front Project CEO Jane Hunt said.

“In addition to geographical disparities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children who are not proficient in English, and children in lower socio-economic communities, also experience higher rates of developmental vulnerability.

“Too many children in these groups are being held back from their full potential, not because of lack of ability, but lack of opportunity and support,” Ms Hunt said.

Ms Hunt said it is well established that access to high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) delivers better life outcomes and lower costs to society and taxpayers in the long term.

“While some important steps forward have been taken in ECEC policy over the last 12 months, more work is needed to ensure Australia’s ECEC system is high quality, accessible and affordable for all families, no matter their background or where they live,” she said.

The AEDC data classifies children as ‘on track’, ‘at risk’ or ‘vulnerable’, depending on how they score in each of five areas of development or domains.

Children who are experiencing developmental vulnerability demonstrate a much lower than average ability in at least one AEDC domain.

The five domains measured, physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills (school-based) and communication skills and general knowledge, are key areas of children’s development which are linked to long term developmental, health, wellbeing and academic outcomes.

By Grade 3 developmentally vulnerable children are a year behind their peers on NAPLAN (the national literacy and numeracy assessment that students undertake in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9). By Grade 5 they are on average two years behind their peers on NAPLAN.

Evidence shows that these students are, in turn, less likely to finish school, and are more likely to experience unemployment and ill-health throughout their lives.