Australia is the only country in the world that regularly collects comprehensive information about the holistic development of children entering their first year of school. Known as the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), the data gathered from this work guides national and state policy. These types of measurements are useful for the United States because they can inform current discussions of equity in access to early childhood services and outcomes for children.

With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, six U.S.-based early childhood leaders traveled to Australia in 2018 to attend the AEDC National Conference in Melbourne. This brief discusses the lessons learned and how Australia’s experience using the AEDC can be applied in the United States.