The Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) is one form of support available through the Australian Government's Inclusion Support Program (ISP). The aim of the ISP is to help Australian Government approved children's services include children with additional needs in a quality child care service. The ISS is funded support available to help child care services include children with a demonstrated need for higher and more ongoing levels of support. This includes children with a disability, children being diagnosed with a disability and refugee children.

All Australian Government approved children's services are eligible to access the range of supports available through the Inclusion Support Program, including Inclusion Support Subsidy funding. This includes:

• Long day care centres
• Family day care schemes and carers
• In home care schemes
• Occasional care schemes
• Mobile services
• Before and after care services
• Vacation care services
• Multifunctional Aboriginal children's services (MACS), and
• other Australian Government funded non-mainstream care services

The Inclusion Support Subsidy provides funding as a contribution towards the costs associated with:

• employing an additional staff for an approved number of hours to increase the staff to child ratio when a child with ongoing high support needs is in care;
• employing relief staff to enable permanent staff and carers to attend training or professional support related to the inclusion of a child or children with ongoing high support needs; and
• accessing specialist equipment identified as essential to a child's inclusion which would not be normally provided by the service (for example specialist seating, standing frames, toileting equipment, adjustable tables, etc.). NB: Not available to in-home care.

For home-based services, the Inclusion Support Subsidy may also provide:

• an additional payment to in-home carers in recognition of the extra care and attention required by a child or children with ongoing high support needs and the impact on the carer;
• a capacity payment to family day carers in recognition of the extra care and attention required by a child or children with ongoing high support needs and the impact on the carer.

Subsidy limits apply for Inclusion Support Subsidy and will be different depending on service type. To find out more talk to your local Inclusion Support Agencies (ISA) or go to the child care section of the website for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) at www.deewr.gov.au.

The Inclusion Support Subsidy Guidelines also specify activities for which Inclusion Support Subsidy cannot be used. This includes early intervention and/or therapy programs (for example, speech or physiotherapy) and medical or nursing assistance and procedures (for example, tube feeding, catheterisation, etc). A more comprehensive list of non-approved purposes is available in the Inclusion Support Subsidy Guidelines.

One of the most accessible resources available to eligible children's services through the Inclusion Support Program is the Inclusion Support Agency. Across Australia there are sixty-seven (67) regionally based Inclusion Support Agencies. In Victoria there are seventeen (17). Eight (8) are located in the Melbourne metropolitan area and nine (9) in regional Victoria.

To locate the ISA in your region contact Community Child Care, the Professional Support Coordinator for Victoria on 1800 177 017.

Each Inclusion Support Agency is made up of a team of Inclusion Support Facilitators (ISFs) who will visit children's services, free of charge, and talk with children services professionals about what they can do to feel more competent, capable and confident to include children with additional needs. Your Inclusion Support Facilitator will work with staff to find out what is currently happening, talk about any specific goals the service is trying to achieve, what staff are currently doing to achieve these goals, and assist children services professionals to identify what additional information, resources and supports might help in achieving these. As an outcome of this support, the Inclusion Support Facilitator will work with children services professionals to develop a plan of action to help staff work towards these identified goals.

There are two specific plans children service professionals may come across when working with your Inclusion Support Facilitator to address specific needs and priorities. When needs relate to a specific child or children in a particular care environment, Inclusion Support Facilitators will introduce to staff a Service Support Plan (SSP) to develop and document the actions that will be undertaken to meet goals. When the need is more of a 'big picture' issue that will benefit everyone in the service, an Assisted Inclusion Readiness (AIR) Plan may be used. Some examples of issues that can be addressed using an Assisted Inclusion Readiness plan include programming for diversity, enhancing enrolment and orientation procedures, and guiding children's behaviour.

As Inclusion Support Subsidy support is more targeted to support the inclusion of a specific child or children, Service Support Plans will help determine exactly what support is required to build on what staff are already doing and compliment the various resources and supports that are already being used.

Eligibility of a child care service, or a child or children, does not mean an automatic entitlement to Inclusion Support Subsidy. It is the process of developing a Service Support Plan that will help children's services professionals determine if there is a demonstrated need for support, and what resources and/or supports would be most helpful.

In many cases, when children's services professionals sit down to develop a Service Support Plan with their Inclusion Support Facilitator they may not yet be certain about what resources and supports are most useful. Gaining clarity about service and staff goals and identifying what is actually happening within the child care setting is the first step. Determining what staff are already doing or have done to get to this point is the next step. Once staff have done this they will be more able to identify any gaps that might be barriers whilst identifying the range of options available to address these.

It is important that staff don't feel that they need to know or have all of the answers at this stage. While Inclusion Support Facilitators won't come in to tell staff what to do, they can help identify and build on what is already working well, and use the strengths, skills and expertise that exist within the service. They can also help children's services professional tap into some of the local community resources and supports they may not have previously considered. There may be instances identified that staff will require more specialist resources, such as Inclusion Support Subsidy, in order to address their needs and meet their goals.

A fact sheet about the role of the ISF is available from the Community Child Care website. To view or download this fact sheet go to www.cccvic.org.au

The first step is to develop a Service Support Plan in collaboration with Inclusion Support Facilitators. If through this process, it is determined that services will require support through the Inclusion Support Subsidy, they should complete an Inclusion Support Subsidy application. Staff should then submit both the application form and the Service Support Plan to their Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider.

Before sending off Inclusion Support Subsidy applications it is wise to check that staff have completed all of the relevant sections and attached all of the documentation necessary. This will help to avoid delays in the application being assessed by the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider.

A checklist on the cover page of the Inclusion Support Subsidy Application Form is an easy reference point to ensure children's services professionals do not forget anything when they submit their application. The documentation required includes:

1. All relevant sections of the SSP including:
   • Contextual information pages – this information helps the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider develop a better understanding about what is happening in the room and how funding will help;
   • Service Support Program Framework pages; - this informs the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider about the goals the service is working towards and how staff plan to achieve these. It includes details about how Inclusion Support Subsidy funding will be utilised;
   • Service Support Plan Evaluation – this is an essential part of the Inclusion Support Subsidy re-application process that determines if funding is still required, why it is required and how much is required.
2. Current documentary evidence (within 12 months) required as eligibility for each child staff are seeking assistance to include. Further information and examples of evidence are included in the Inclusion Support Subsidy Guidelines.

Inclusion Support Subsidy approvals are for a maximum of six months (for children undergoing continuous assessment of a disability) and twelve months (for children with a diagnosed disability and children from a refugee experience). Ongoing Inclusion Support Subsidy is dependant on a regular assessment of the capacity of a service to include an eligible child.,/p>

Where it is determined that ongoing Inclusion Support Subsidy is required, a re-application must be made on an annual basis in consultation with the Inclusion Support Facilitator. Re-application must involve a review of the previous Service Support Plan and the development of a new Service Support Plan. The new plan should also incorporate any actions progressed to date. These actions are typically included in the column 'Steps implemented to date to address the identified needs'. The service then submits the updated Service Support Plan and a new Inclusion Support Subsidy Application Form to the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider for assessment.

Re-applications should be submitted:

• without assurances of ongoing funding, or
• without assurances as to the start date of new funding period.

Apart from the annual re-application, other events may trigger a review of the Service Support Plan and the Inclusion Support Subsidy. An example of a trigger is where a child with ongoing high support needs either enters or leaves the service and/or the care environment.

Where it is determined that the required level of Inclusion Support Subsidy has increased, the service will complete an Inclusion Support Subsidy Variation to Application Form, to be submitted to and approved by the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider. An example of a situation when a variation form could be used is to access training that relates to the inclusion of the identified child or children with additional needs, when this training was not available at the time the original Inclusion Support Subsidy application was submitted. NB: The need for training should have been documented in the original Service Support Plan and Inclusion Support Subsidy Application Form.

Where it is determined that there are exceptional circumstances in a child care service's capacity to include a child with ongoing and high support needs, details of the exceptional circumstances must be supplied and the service's support needs included in an Service Support Plan. This should be submitted to the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider with an Inclusion Support Subsidy Application Form, a Service Support Plan and an Exemption to Guidelines Application Form. Staff should also include any relevant documentation to support their application.

The Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider will decide whether or not to endorse the application for exemption. In the event that the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider does endorse the request, it will be forwarded to DEEWR for assessment. DEEWR will advise the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider of the outcomes of the exemption application.

The responsibilities and accountabilities under Inclusion Support Subsidy are detailed in the Inclusion Support Subsidy Guidelines. While the Inclusion Support Facilitator is available to help staff, ultimately it is their responsibility to:

• develop, action and review their Service Support Plans and Assisted Inclusion Readiness plans as required;
• lodge Inclusion Support Subsidy applications and re-applications within the required time frames;
• use Inclusion Support Subsidy funding in accordance with the ISS Guidelines;
• employ additional staff in accordance with the appropriate industrial laws;
• keep all necessary records (such as child attendance records and staff time sheets) required for funding purposes; and
• submit claims forms within the required claim periods.

For more detailed information refer to the Inclusion Support Subsidy Guidelines. If staff require any further information or wish to seek further clarity they should talk to their local Inclusion Support Agency.

One of the ways that Inclusion Support Subsidy funding can be used in centre based services is to contribute to the costs of employing an additional worker to increase the staff to child ratio above the licensing requirements for the time, or a portion of the time when the child with ongoing high support needs is in care.

Eligibility requirements and subsidy limits apply to access an additional worker through Inclusion Support Subsidy funding. Subsidy limits will differ depending on service types. More information about subsidy limits is available in the child care section of the DEEWR website at www.deewr.gov.au.

The additional worker is employed as an extra member of the team to share the daily responsibilities of the child care team and to ensure that all children, including those supported with Inclusion Support Subsidy funding, can access and participate in all aspects of the program. It is important that services are clear – and make it clear to families – that the additional worker is not employed to work one to one with the identified child. While they may have some involvement with a child with high and ongoing support needs, they would also be working with all other children in the group. The same is true for all staff in the service.

As staff would have already developed a Services Support Plan at this point, they will have identified exactly what having an additional worker will enable their service to achieve. The more specific staff can be about this in their Service Support Plan - and particularly in their action plan - the easier it will be to talk with all staff, including the additional worker, about exactly what is required to support the child's participation, when and how.

A fact sheet about the role of the additional worker is available from the Community Child Care website.

Inclusion Support Subsidy funding is just one of the funded supports available through the Inclusion Support Program. Depending on the services current needs and identified goals, staff may also be able to access additional support through Flexible Support Funding (FSF) and Bicultural Support.

Eligibility for Flexible Support Funding is similar to that for the Inclusion Support Subsidy. The main difference is that Inclusion Support Subsidy funding is best utilised where it is determined that staff will require high levels of support to include a child with high support needs on an ongoing basis, while Flexible Support Funding is support provided for a time limited period.

Some examples of situations in which Flexible Support Funding may be used include:

• Assisting services to include a child with high ongoing support needs when staff are unsure if Inclusion Support Subsidy will be required on an ongoing basis
• Allowing release time for permanent staff and carers to attend specialist training relevant to the inclusion of a child with ongoing high support needs. [NB: There is a combined 15 hour limit per year on Flexible Support Funding utilised for specialist training and/or preparation of Service Support Plans];
• Allowing release time for permanent staff and carers to prepare Service Support Plans in respect to a child with ongoing high support needs;
• Providing permanent staff and carers with an additional worker so that a child with ongoing high support needs who attends on an irregular basis can participate in out of home excursions or other special activities, e.g. playgroups or vacation care excursions. (FSF Guidelines, v2 February 2008, pp1-2).

Flexible Support Funding is a contribution towards the costs associated with employing additional staff to increase the staff to child ratio for a time-limited period. There is an application process, similar to that of the Inclusion Support Subsidy, although the application form and Service Support Program goes to local Inclusion Support Agency instead of the Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider. Subsidy limits apply for Flexible Support Funding and will be different depending on service type. Staff should talk to their local Inclusion Support Agency to find out more.

Bicultural Support is also time-limited support. It is also more specifically utilised by services to include children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD), refugee children or Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children. Examples of bicultural support include onsite or phone language assistance generally at the time of enrolment.

Whether it is Flexible Support Funding or Bicultural Support, it is the process of developing a Service Support Plan that will help staff determine exactly what support is required and how it will assist them to include the child or children. This process is always the same whether or not it is determined that staff can include a child or children with high ongoing support needs with the resources and supports available within their service and/or local community, or that staff will require additional supports such as Inclusion Support Subsidy, Flexible Support Funding or Bicultural Support. In developing the Service Support Plan, the local Inclusion Support Facilitator will talk with staff about what is currently happening, help them to gain clarity about their goals, identify and build on what they are already doing and determine what resources and supports will help. The final part of this process is the development of an action plan that details the steps staff will take to make it all happen.

Flexible Support Funding and Bicultural Support may sometimes be seen as a more suitable option to Inclusion Support Subsidy for short-term care or when the attendance of a child with ongoing high support needs is irregular and unpredictable, for example, in occasional care.

In situations where there is insufficient time for an Inclusion Support Facilitator to visit a service, the Service Support Plan may be discussed and drafted over the phone and completed at a later stage. This ensures that immediate and responsive support can be provided to ensure the service can more effectively and successfully achieve their identified goals.

Note: A Service Support Plan is not required for Flexible Support Funding applications if the purpose for funding is to allow release time to enable permanent staff to develop a Service Support Plan. However a Flexible Support Funding application form must be completed stating the reasons for the request and the number of hours of funding being sought and forwarded to the Inclusion Support Agency.

In addition to the supports available through the Inclusion Support Program, a number of resources and professional supports are also available through the Professional Support Program (PSP).

A Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) has been appointed in each state and territory to develop, manage and monitor the delivery of this professional support to all eligible services, as well as to Inclusion Support Facilitators and Bicultural Support Workers. The Professional Support Coordinator provides services with a single point of contact to ensure an immediate response to their professional support needs. The range of support services provided include:

• Telephone support and advice;
• Resource materials including books, journal articles and children's play equipment;
• Specialist equipment to support the inclusion of children with high ongoing support needs;
• Flexible training options including calendar training, online training and self-paced learning packages;
• Referral to other agencies for further support and advice.

The Professional Support Program (PSP) aims to ensure that all eligible childcare services have access to quality, responsive and flexible professional supports to meet their priorities, needs and interests. In Victoria, the PSC is Community Child Care. You can contact them on 1800 177 017

For child care services, the need for some of the professional supports listed above may also be identified in the process of developing Service Support Plans and/or Assisted Inclusion Readiness plans as described previously.

www.cccvic.org.auCommunity Child Care is the Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) for Victoria. Visit the website for more information about the range of professional support services available through the IPSP.

  www.noahsarkinc.org.auNoah's Ark is the current provider of specialist equipment for Victoria. The range of specialist equipment options available through Inclusion Support Subsidy can be viewed via the on-line catalogue located on this website.

www.fka.com.au

FKA Children's Services provides a multicultural resource centre and library for eligible child care services, bicultural support workers and Inclusion Support Agencies. Resources available have particular relevant for anyone working with children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Visit their website for more information and to view the online catalogue.

FKA also manages the Casual Bicultural Pool for eligible child care services throughout Victoria. For more information contact FKA via email fkacs@fka.com.au or phone (03) 9428 4471

www.gowrievictoria.org.auGowrie Victoria’s library has an extensive range of current books, journals, articles and DVD's for borrowing.  Qualified Early Childhood staff are available to help identify your resource needs. Visit the website to view the online catalogue or for further information regarding library membership

www.deewr.gov.auThe Australian Government Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations funds the Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP). The DEEWR website contains detailed information about the Child Care Support Program, including the IPSP. This includes factsheets on various aspects of the IPSP program and the current version of the ISS Guidelines.

www.ncac.gov.auThe National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC) is responsible for the administration of National Child Care Quality Assurance (CCQA) systems for approved child care services throughout Australia. The CCQA and the IPSP are both a part of the Australian Government's Child Care Support Program and aim to promote quality care for all children in approved Australian child care services.

The IPSP complements the accreditation framework by providing access to up to date information to help child care services to achieve accreditation, increase their capacity and maintain a high level of quality child care.

The NCAC website contains information about the CCQA process, as well as a range of resources and publications for child care professionals, families and children.