Illawarra Children's Services is proud to deliver the Inclusion Support Program (ISP) to eligible child care services in the Illawarra and NSW South East regions. Support is provided through a network of expert Inclusion Support Facilitators (ISFs) based in local areas.
As an Inclusion Support Agency, we assist child care services to build the knowledge and confidence they need to be able to offer a quality, inclusive child care environment to children with additional needs. With this support, children with additional needs can participate in the activities available in child care services and have the same opportunities as others to belong, develop and succeed.
Illawarra Children's Services is responsible for the provision of support to child care services. Support includes practical advice and access to a range of supports designed to strengthen the service's ability to create a quality care environment inclusive of all children. These supports include, but are not limited to, providing onsite assistance with developing service support plans, facilitating access to specialist equipment, general resource library, professional support, funding through Flexible Support Funding or Inclusion Support Subsidy, and Bicultural Support.
Click here to download the current ISA Brochure.
Eligible children's services, as defined in the IPSP Guidelines as eligible children's services for support under this program, are:
When seeking consent for exchange of personal information use the following form:
Check the team contact list to locate your service's Inclusion Support Facilitator Illawarra and NSW South East regions, and find details of each region's office locations.
Flexible Support Funding enables services to receive immediate short-term support to meet their inclusion needs, such as:
The following forms are available for services to assist with submitting claims for payment:
The Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) provides professional development and support to child care workers. The PSC also provides the Bicultural Support program, resource libraries and specialist equipment.
The PSC will respond to current and emerging professional development and support needs in the child care sector. The PSC will work closely with PSSPs, ISAs and the IPSUs to meet the professional development and support needs of all eligible child care services and in particular, work with IPSU to support eligible Indigenous child care services.
Children's Services Central is the provider of professional development and inclusion support and training to eligible child care services in NSW.
For further information, visit www.cscentral.org.au.
The Indigenous Professional Support Unit (IPSU) provides professional development and support to eligible Indigenous child care services to enable them to provide quality child care.
For further information, visit www.ipsunswact.com.au.
Bicultural support provides additional resources to eligible childcare services to assist with the inclusion of children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds (CALD), refugee children, and Indigenous children.
The bicultural support program engages a worker to offer time-limited support from either off-site consultants or an on-site casual bilingual or bicultural worker. This support may be provided when a CALD, Indigenous, or refugee child is enrolled at the child care service. Access to bicultural support is provided to eligible child care services free of charge.
The General Resource Library will provide up-to-date information and resources on child care practice and research findings and assist in meeting the inclusion and professional support needs of eligible child care services. General resources are provided on loan to eligible child care services after becoming a library member.
Lady Gowrie Child Centre manages the General Resource Library for children's services on behalf of Children's Services Central.
For further information, visit www.cscentral.org.au/support/general-resource-library.html.
Specialist Equipment is available on loan from the Specialist Equipment provider to eligible child care services (excluding In Home care) to assist the inclusion of a child who has demonstrated ongoing high support needs in a child care environment.
Lady Gowrie Child Centre manages the specialist equipment pool for children's services on behalf of Children's Services Central.
For further information, visit www.cscentral.org.au/support/specialist-equipment.html.
Across Australia, the Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) is paid to child care services to support the inclusion of a child or children with ongoing high support needs.
The ISS assists with the costs of employing additional child care workers in Family Day Care and In Home Care. The ISS is used as a payment in recognition of the additional care and attention required by children with ongoing high support needs.
ISS payments are paid at a flat hourly rate, which is determined by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and is indexed annually.
Children with ongoing high support needs include those with a diagnosed disability, children undergoing continuing assessment for a disability and humanitarian refugee children.
KU Children's Services is the National Provider of the Inclusion Support Subsidy. Illawarra Children's Services is its program partner, managing ISS services in QLD, TAS and NT.
The Inclusion Support Program develops resources to support child care educators in building their capacity to include all children in the care environment.
Click here to access the Inclusion In Practice Packages and Inclusion in Practice Newsletters.
If you would like to provide feedback about the program and our service delivery, please
For more information regarding the Inclusion and Professional Support Program, visit the DEEWR website.
Illawarra Inclusion Support and NSW South East Inclusion Support are initiatives of the Inclusion and Professional Support Program, funded by the Australian Government.
Gloria Dalla Valle
Inclusion Support Coordinator
Phone: (02) 4283 9935
Email:
Level 1, 98 Railway St
(PO Box 475)
Corrimal NSW 2518
T | (02) 4283 9900
F | (02) 4283 9901
E | info@ics.org.au
CREATIVE PARTNERS:
© 2009–2012 Illawarra Children's Services Ltd