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Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS)
The Inclusion Support Subsidy is part of the Commonwealth Government’s Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP) and provides funding to help child care services include children with ongoing high support needs.
Children with ongoing high support needs are children with a disability, children being diagnosed with a disability and refugee children.
What child care services are eligible?
All Australian Government approved child care services are eligible regardless of care type or location. Types include:
- Long Day Care;
- Outside School Hours Care (including Vacation Care);
- Occasional Care;
- Family Day Care; and
- In Home Care.
Some Australian Government funded non-mainstream child care services (non-Child Care Benefit) are also eligible. These services include:
- flexible/innovative services
- Multi-functional Aboriginal Children's Services (MACS)
- non-mainstream Outside School Hours Care
- non-formula funded Occasional Care (100 per cent Australian Government funded)
- mobile children's services.
What is funding provided for?
The ISS provides funding as a contribution towards the costs associated with:
- additional staff to increase the staff-to-child ratio;
- relief staff, to cover for regular carers attending inclusion training; and
- specialist equipment (for example, hoists, special change tables, special toilets, support swings, positioning blocks, and sensory mats).
The ISS may also provide an extra payment to home-based carers in recognition of the extra care and attention required by a child or children with ongoing high support needs.
How much funding is available?
The ISS contributes $15.95 per hour towards the cost of employing additional staff. It is a flat hourly rate which is indexed annually.
The ISS applies differently to different child care services and types. Please note that limits apply to the number of hours per week and weeks per year for which ISS can be approved, this varies across service types. The ISS payment provided to home-based carers may be paid on one of two tiers ($4.24 or $8.48 per hour).
How do child care services apply for the Subsidy?
Child care services must start by working with an Inclusion Support Facilitator (ISF) to develop a Service Support Plan.
This plan outlines the skills and knowledge child care staff need to successfully include all children (including those with ongoing high support needs) into their child care service.
If the ISF determines that further support is required they will help the child care service to complete an application for funds. The application is then submitted to an ISS Provider for approval. Once approved, payments are made to the child care service quarterly in arrears according to the actual attendance of the child or children.
Contact details for your local Inclusion Support Agency can be found here.
KU National Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider are the national provider of the Commonwealth Government’s Inclusion Support Subsidy Program. Further details can be obtained from their website (www.ku.com.au).
Click here for National Inclusion Support Subsidy Provider FAQ sheet.
How does the ISS help families?
It helps families in several ways by:
- giving children with ongoing high support needs better opportunities to learn and develop alongside other children;
- supporting those who work in child care so they are well trained and equipped to take care of children;
- supporting child care services to include all children, regardless of their background and including those with ongoing high support needs; and
- providing families access to better child care and greater choice in child care regardless of where they live.
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Contact Us
13 Bishop Street
Woolner, NT, 0820
PO Box 37645, Winnellie, NT 0821
Support Line: 1800 138 662
Facsimile: (08) 8941 6433
Email: pscnt@childaustralia.org.au
Need Help?
Contact the PSCNT Support Line on 1800 138 662.
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