Early Years Partnership — Armadale West
Improving children’s well-being and school readiness in Armadale West
In 2019, the Early Years Partnership Board selected Armadale West as our metropolitan community partner. They are one of only four communities invited to participate in the Early Years Partnership, joining the ‘very remote’ community of Bidyadanga, the ‘remote’ community of Derby and the ‘regional’ community of Central Great Southern.
With a commitment to work differently with communities, the Early Years Partnership is designed to deliver the support West Armadale families need to improve their children’s health, wellbeing, and school readiness. For the purposes of the Early Years Partnership, the ‘Armadale West community’ comprises the school catchment zones for Challis Community Primary School, Neerigen Brook Primary School and Willandra Primary School, plus families who use services provided through the Child and Parent Centre – Westfield Park.
There are approximately 1,823 children under four in Armadale West (Reference: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census). Of these children, 9.2 per cent are Aboriginal and 9.5 per cent are from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) families. This diversity was a key consideration when designing actions to address the priority areas of Armadale West’s Community Plan.
Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)
The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) is a nationwide data collection of early childhood development at the time children commence their first year of full-time school. The AEDC highlights what is working well and what needs to be improved or developed to support children and their families by providing evidence to support health, education and community policy and planning.
The AEDC is held every three years, with the 2021 AEDC data collection being the fifth collection. The census involves teachers of children in their first year of full-time school completing a research tool, the Australian version of the Early Development Instrument. The Instrument collects data relating to five key areas of early childhood development referred to as ‘domains’. These include:
- Physical health and well being
- Social competence
- Emotional maturity
- Language and cognitive skills (school-based)
- Communication skills and general knowledge
The AEDC domains have been shown to predict later health, wellbeing and academic success. More information about the AEDC can be found at:
Australian Early Development Census – Department of Education, Australian Government.
Upcoming Events
Armadale West is always full of new and exciting things to see and do. With plenty of activities on the calendar, you’re sure to find something free and fun to do with your family.