GO7960: Inclusion Support Program Guidelines

The focus of the ISP program is aimed at building the inclusion capacity and capability of eligible CCS approved ECEC services, where there are barriers to the participation of children with additional needs, with their typically developing peers.

The program helps to ensure all children have genuine opportunities to access, participate and achieve positive learning outcomes as per the Approved Learning Frameworks.

The program also assists services to implement their quality, inclusive and equitable obligations under the National Quality Framework (NQF) and in accordance with the National Quality Standard (NQS) and Approved Learning Frameworks.

To be eligible the service must be approved by the department for the provision of the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) under the Family Assistance Law.

Eligible service types explicitly listed are CCS-approved Centre-Based Day Care (including Centre-Based Day Care services providing a government-funded kindergarten/preschool program), Outside School Hours Care (before, after school and vacation care) and Family Day Care.

The service must engage with an Inclusion Agency, develop a Strategic Inclusion Plan (or Project Outline for urgent IDF-Immediate/Time-Limited Support), and have Inclusion Agency endorsement for IDF applications (the Inclusion Agency may decline endorsement; services may still submit to the IDFM).

For IDF-Additional Educator and IDF-FDC Top Up applications, the service must attach current documentary evidence from relevant professionals (dated within 12 months if not a permanent disability) demonstrating the child has additional and ongoing high support needs, and a correctly completed Permission to Share Personal Information consent form from the parent/carer.

The service must agree to the Conditions of Funding.

Applications are submitted via the Inclusion Support Portal (or paper-based SIP via Inclusion Agency where portal access is not available).