Understanding support options

Understanding the support options available to your child and your family when navigating early childhood education can help you make an informed decision.

These supports can vastly improve a child’s learning experience and ensure they have the necessary tools and skills to thrive alongside their peers in their early education and the years beyond. Understand how your family and your child’s educators can access external support to make the early education experience a successful and positive one.

The Inclusion Support Program (ISP)

The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) is designed to help educators and childcare centres create an inclusive environment where all children can learn and participate regardless of their background or abilities. The program targets three key areas of support:

Professional support

This involves working directly with educators and teachers to identify and overcome any barriers preventing a child from fully participating in their learning environment. This often includes providing staff with training, targeted strategies and additional resources to help them better support children with disabilities.

Specialist equipment

Sometimes, physical barriers can restrict a child’s ability to engage in activities. The ISP can provide specialist equipment, such as portable ramps or adaptive tools, to help ensure the physical environment is accessible to a child with a disability or additional needs.

Funding

In cases where professional support and specialist equipment cannot address barriers to inclusion, the program offers funding through the Inclusion Development Fund (IDF). This funding helps address more complex inclusion challenges, helping all children to participate meaningfully in their early education.

The Inclusion Development Fund (IDF)

The Inclusion Development Fund (IDF) is a key component of the Inclusion Support Program, offering financial assistance to early education providers through four specific streams. Each stream is designed to address different inclusion challenges in an early education setting.

IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator

This stream provides funding for an extra educator to join the child’s room or centre. While this does not equal one-to-one support, it helps increase the overall child-to-educator ratio. This is particularly beneficial for children with high support needs, as it means there are enough educators to support all children in their learning effectively.

IDF Subsidy for Immediate/Time Limited Support

Sometimes, immediate action is needed to address barriers to inclusion. This stream provides short-term funding for an additional educator, allowing the service to quickly respond to the needs of a child with a disability or additional needs. This ensures that inclusion barriers are addressed quickly, preventing long-term disruptions to the child’s education.

IDF Subsidy for Family Day Care Top-Up

Some childcare services face unique challenges when enrolling children with additional needs. This subsidy offers a fee top-up for centres that cannot enrol the maximum number of children under national law due to the enrolment of a child with additional needs. This ensures that the service can still operate viably while providing the necessary support for the child.

IDF Innovative Solutions Support

Not all inclusion challenges can be addressed through additional educators or equipment. The Innovative Solutions Support stream funds alternative approaches, such as bringing in external experts who can offer evidence-based strategies and insights. This might involve assistance with developing personalised programs or consulting with specialists to find new solutions to inclusion barriers.

For a childcare centre to access the Inclusion Support Program or Inclusion Development Fund, it must first be endorsed by an Inclusion Agency and meet specific eligibility criteria. It is the responsibility of the childcare provider, not the child’s family, to apply for this funding, as it is provided to educators themselves.

Many early learning centres have experience applying for these funding streams, but some may not. Either way, it is helpful to ask educators or the Centre Director whether they are aware of these funding options and confident about applying for them. 

A significant delay in processing an Inclusion Support Program funding application could be considered discrimination. If you have concerns about your child’s application, speak to your early learning centre or find a disability advocate. 

Making the most of support options

Understanding and securing external support for your autistic child in an early learning environment can be a complicated process. However, it is well worth the time and effort, as it can give your child the best possible start to their education, improving their life skills and confidence. Here are some steps families can take to navigate this process. 

Open communication with your child’s early education provider about the support options mentioned above is an important first step. These discussions ensure your child’s educators understand their strengths and support needs and take the necessary steps to access the support they need to assist your child. As mentioned above, educators are often responsible for applying for and managing this funding, so it is important they understand the application process and how best to use the funding they are asking for. 

Whether it’s the Inclusion Support Program or the Child Care Subsidy, checking in with the progress of your application is important. Knowing a rough timeline can help you manage any delays or issues quickly. If you or your early education provider has issues with your application, do not hesitate to seek additional help. This might involve contacting relevant organisations or seeking legal advice if you want to appeal a decision or believe you or your child has experienced discrimination.

The role of early intervention

Early intervention is an important part of supporting young children with autism. It refers to starting therapeutic interventions as early as possible, with the primary goal of promoting the child's development and helping them develop the necessary skills for everyday life. This approach is not unique to autism but is used in various disabilities and illnesses. However, for children with autism, early intervention often involves a specialised program tailored to their individual needs, strengths, and interests, helping them to reach their full potential.

Families often wonder how childcare fits into the early intervention framework and the importance of early education for a child’s learning and social skills. Having secure and reliable childcare also helps families return to work and maintain other important commitments. It is important to remember that in the right setting and with the right support, autistic children and their families can experience these benefits, too. 

In many cases, young children with autism may start their early intervention journey at home, in a therapy clinic, or at an autism-specific centre. Early intervention professionals can adapt their programs to prioritise developing skills for the transition to childcare. These skills might involve understanding instructions, improving focus, and interacting with other children. 

Most early learning centres in Australia have experience working with children with autism. It is common to find at least one child with autism in nearly every childcare centre. These centres are also experienced in supporting children with other developmental delays and disabilities. Early childhood inclusion is considered best practice in early learning centres, ensuring that children with disabilities and additional needs are welcomed and supported.

If you find a daycare centre with little or no experience with autism, it is important to collaborate closely with them. Your therapy team can play a significant role in assisting the daycare staff in creating a supportive environment for your child. This therapist can support your child as needed to increase your child's independence gradually.

Both early intervention and daycare play important roles in a child's development. However, it's essential to understand that daycare is not a substitute for the specialised and individualised support provided through early intervention. Instead, these two roles can complement each other to benefit the child.

Other support options

Outside of support for an autistic child’s learning and development, other funding schemes can help families with the financial aspect of childcare. 

Child Care Subsidy (CCS)

The Child Care Subsidy is a government initiative designed to assist families with the cost of child care. This subsidy is available to families using an approved childcare service, provided they meet certain residency, immunisation, and age requirements. The amount of money a family is eligible for depends on various factors, including income, the number of children in childcare, and the type of childcare being used.

This subsidy can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket expenses associated with child care, making it more accessible for many families. You can learn more about the CSS eligibility criteria and how to apply by speaking to your early education provider or visiting the Services Australia website. 

Additional Child Care Subsidy

The Additional Child Care Subsidy is available to families who are already receiving the Child Care Subsidy and meet one or more of the following criteria:

• A family experiencing temporary financial hardship
• A family transitioning from income support payments to paid work
• An eligible grandparent already receiving an income support payment
• A family caring for a child who is vulnerable or at risk of harm, abuse or neglect

Learn more about the ACCS, eligibility criteria and how to apply via this link or by heading to the bottom of this page.