The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) is the Commonwealth program that helps CCS-approved centre-based day care, OSHC (including vacation care) and family day care services include children with additional needs. Support comes in three forms: free advice from the state Inclusion Agency, loans from the Specialist Equipment Library, and the Inclusion Development Fund (IDF). To get any of it a service must work with its Inclusion Agency and develop a Strategic Inclusion Plan. The best-known stream, IDF Additional Educator, pays $23 an hour towards an educator above the required ratio: up to 25 hours a week for one child, or 40 for shared care, for up to 52 weeks.
Who can use the ISP, how the Strategic Inclusion Plan works, the four Inclusion Development Fund streams with their 2026-27 rates, and how an additional educator fits with ratios.
The program is primarily for CCS-approved services providing centre-based day care, outside school hours care and family day care. State and territory government occasional care, preschools, kindergartens, early intervention services and in home care are not eligible, and children supported must meet CCS eligibility requirements (Department of Education). Every service must still be inclusive: the program supports that duty, it does not create it. See regulation 155 and the EYLF principles.
| Stream | What it funds | Rate and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Educator | An extra educator, above ratio, for children with ongoing high support needs (centre-based day care and OSHC) | $23.00/hour; one child up to 25 hours a week, shared care up to 40; up to 52 weeks. Vacation care: up to 40 hours a week for up to 12 weeks |
| Immediate/Time-Limited | Short-term funding for an additional educator for a child with high support needs, with or without a diagnosis; approved once per child per service | $23.00/hour; up to 150 hours per child and 25 hours a week, within 12 weeks a year |
| Family Day Care Top Up | Compensates an FDC educator whose enrolment capacity is reduced by including a child with ongoing high support needs | $14.08/hour; up to 50 hours a week, up to 52 weeks a year |
| Innovative Solutions | Flexible, innovative solutions to a barrier the Inclusion Agency cannot resolve | No set limit; assessed on value for money |
Source: ISP Guidelines, sections 6 to 9. Additional Educator and FDC Top Up applications need current documentary evidence from a relevant professional, dated within 12 months unless the disability is permanent, and the provider must accept the conditions of funding.
The Additional Educator subsidy is for an educator above the minimum ratio in the National Regulations. Before approving it, the fund manager checks the service already meets the required ratios, and the service remains responsible for ratios and adequate supervision (guidelines). In other words, do not count the funded additional educator towards regulation 123 ratios, and keep both visible on the roster.
A Commonwealth program that helps CCS-approved centre-based day care, OSHC and family day care services include children with additional needs, through Inclusion Agency advice, the Specialist Equipment Library and the Inclusion Development Fund.
Under the September 2026 ISP Guidelines, $23.00 an hour, for up to 25 hours a week for one child or 40 hours for shared care in centre-based day care and OSHC, for up to 52 weeks.
No. The Additional Educator subsidy funds an educator above the minimum ratio required by the National Regulations, and the fund manager checks the service already meets ratios before approving it.
The inclusion assessment and planning tool every service receiving ISP support must develop with its Inclusion Agency. It sets out barriers and strategies, is updated continually and reviewed within 12 months.
No. Preschools, kindergartens, state and territory government occasional care, early intervention services and in home care are not eligible.
WIDEN Law answers National Quality Framework questions with inline citations to the National Law, the Regulations and the NQS, so you can check the source provision yourself.
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