The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) is an Australian Government initiative which involves the establishment of Inclusion Support Agencies (ISAs) that will operate on a regional basis and coordinate the assistance provided by a network of field workers, known as Inculsion Support Facilitators (ISFs).
The Inclusion Support Program aims to build the capacity of eligible childcare services to include children from the following groups who may require additional support to access mainstream child care services:
- Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, refugee children and
- Australian South Sea Islander children
- Children with ongoing high support needs including children with a disability
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
Some of these children may have additional support needs.
The Role of the inclusion Support Facilitator
The Inclusion Support Facilitator (ISF) works directly with the child care services to build their capacity to respond to the needs of children in the priority groups. The ISF facilitates access to a range of supports that are designed to enhance the skill level of carers and staff thus strengthening the service’s ability to create a high quality, inclusive environment.
The Key Responsibilities of the ISF
- To provide information and support in response to child care service inclusion needs
- To collaborate with services to develop, implement and sustain flexible, inclusive practices
- To encourage and assist services to link with relevant community groups, services and organisations
- To assist services to work in partnership with families and support networks
- To encourage services to engage in ongoing reflective and improvement practises
- To assist child care services to identify professional development needs and opportunities
- To aid child care services to access the Professional Support Co-ordination (PSC) Unit for training and resources to include all children
Support for Child Care Services
Services and support available through the ISA will include:
- The development of an Assisted Inclusion Readiness Plan (AIRP)
- The development of Service Support Plans (SSP)
- Access to Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) from July 1,2006 (previously known as SNSS)
- Access to Flexible Support Funding (FSF)
- Access to Bicultural Support
- Access to professional training and development via the Professional Support Co-ordination (PSC) as it relates to inclusion
