Supporting Children with Supporting Children with Additional Needs (SCAN)Additional Needs (SCAN)

Effective 1 January 2010Effective 1 January 2010

November 2009

Purpose of Presentation

The aim of this presentation is to The aim of this presentation is to

• Provide an outline of the SCAN Provide an outline of the SCAN Program reviewProgram review

• Provide details of the SCAN Provide details of the SCAN Program Guidelines and Forms Program Guidelines and Forms (effective 1 January 2010)(effective 1 January 2010)

Background

• July 2008 new Preschool funding July 2008 new Preschool funding model was introducedmodel was introduced

• Funding for children from Aboriginal Funding for children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds is included in the backgrounds is included in the modelmodel

• SCAN Program Guidelines reviewedSCAN Program Guidelines reviewed

Background cont.

The aims of this review have been to:The aims of this review have been to:

Implement an equitable system Implement an equitable system across the stateacross the state

Streamline forms, processes and Streamline forms, processes and timeframes.timeframes.

Background cont.

• The value of the support services provided The value of the support services provided by the SCAN Organisations to eligible by the SCAN Organisations to eligible children’s services was recognised by children’s services was recognised by Community ServicesCommunity Services

• A tender process will be conducted for the A tender process will be conducted for the 3 network areas currently managed by 3 network areas currently managed by Community ServicesCommunity Services

• Community Services is committed to the Community Services is committed to the continued support of children with continued support of children with additional needs in eligible funded additional needs in eligible funded children’s serviceschildren’s services

SCANSCAN

Program Guidelines and Program Guidelines and FormsForms

Program GuidelinesThese guidelines replace the guidelines that These guidelines replace the guidelines that

were issued in 2003were issued in 2003

The purpose of these guidelines is to:The purpose of these guidelines is to:

• Assist eligible service providers and Assist eligible service providers and SCAN organisations to identify the need SCAN organisations to identify the need for SCAN funding to support a child with for SCAN funding to support a child with additional needs to access aadditional needs to access a children’s children’s service. service.

• Outline SCAN administrative and Outline SCAN administrative and accountability processes.accountability processes.

OutcomesThe outcomes for SCAN are:The outcomes for SCAN are:

• Children with additional support Children with additional support needs have increased opportunities needs have increased opportunities to access eligible Community to access eligible Community Services funded Children’s Services.Services funded Children’s Services.

• Eligible Community Services funded Eligible Community Services funded Children’s services are responsive to Children’s services are responsive to the needs of children with additional the needs of children with additional support needs.support needs.

Eligible children’s services

Licensed and/or registered preschool, Licensed and/or registered preschool, vacation care, occasional child care vacation care, occasional child care and multipurpose services funded and multipurpose services funded under the Children’s Services Program under the Children’s Services Program and are not eligible for Child Care and are not eligible for Child Care Benefit (CCB) as an ‘Approved’ Benefit (CCB) as an ‘Approved’ service. service.

Target Group

Service providers requiring assistance to Service providers requiring assistance to support the access and inclusion of children support the access and inclusion of children with additional needs enrolled in their with additional needs enrolled in their service. service.

Additional needs may include:Additional needs may include:

• challenging behaviours challenging behaviours • delayed developmental or diagnosed delayed developmental or diagnosed

disabilitiesdisabilities• severe chronic health conditionssevere chronic health conditions• moderate to severe language delaysmoderate to severe language delays

Funding Support

Funding through SCAN may be Funding through SCAN may be provided if the support needs of an provided if the support needs of an individual child can not be individual child can not be accommodated within the service accommodated within the service without regular adjustments without regular adjustments throughout the day to the structure of throughout the day to the structure of the environment; programming and the environment; programming and staffing of the service.staffing of the service.

Exceptional Circumstances funding

LimitedLimited additional funding additional funding may bemay be available for services where due to available for services where due to exceptional circumstances the service exceptional circumstances the service is absolutely unable to include a child is absolutely unable to include a child in the service without additional in the service without additional funding. funding.

NOTE:

Circumstances that constitute an application Circumstances that constitute an application for exceptional circumstances may include for exceptional circumstances may include but are not limited to: but are not limited to:

•safety of the child and/or those nearbysafety of the child and/or those nearby

•limited or no support serviceslimited or no support services

•location of service location of service

•ability to access other sources of fundingability to access other sources of funding

Identifying the need for additional support in children’s services

• Social environment.Social environment.

• The number, skills and experience The number, skills and experience of staff. of staff.

• Specific areas of the program Specific areas of the program (excursions, routines, individual (excursions, routines, individual activities and small group activities and small group experiences).experiences).

• The needs of other children in the The needs of other children in the service.service.

• Physical environment.Physical environment.

Cont.Issues for consideration include:Issues for consideration include:

• What, if anything, is preventing this child What, if anything, is preventing this child from participating in all the early childhood from participating in all the early childhood or vacation care experiences offered by this or vacation care experiences offered by this service?service?

• To what extent do these barriers arise from To what extent do these barriers arise from features of this service?features of this service?

• To what extent can these identified barriers To what extent can these identified barriers be removed or reduced without additional be removed or reduced without additional funding?funding?

• To what extent can these identified barriers To what extent can these identified barriers be removed or reduced only with additional be removed or reduced only with additional funding? funding?

How to determine level of support To determine the need for SCAN funding, To determine the need for SCAN funding, service providers may: service providers may:

• Observe the child in the early Observe the child in the early childhood or vacation care setting.childhood or vacation care setting.

• Work with the child’s family to Work with the child’s family to understand the child’s specific understand the child’s specific additional needs.additional needs.

• Gather information with parental Gather information with parental permission from support agencies.permission from support agencies.

Funding support through SCANFunds can be used to support:Funds can be used to support:

• Employment of a support worker Employment of a support worker (additional to licensing requirements).(additional to licensing requirements).

• Purchase of specific Purchase of specific equipment/resources or specialised equipment/resources or specialised aids relevant to the child’s need. aids relevant to the child’s need.

• Staff training in addition to that Staff training in addition to that provided from the SCAN Organisation.provided from the SCAN Organisation.

• External professional support for staff.External professional support for staff.

SCAN funds cannot be used for:

• Payment of feesPayment of fees

• Employment of therapists for Employment of therapists for childrenchildren

• AssessmentsAssessments

• Paediatric accountsPaediatric accounts

• Capital improvementsCapital improvements

Consultancy

Services may access training, advice, Services may access training, advice, support and resources from SCAN support and resources from SCAN organisations to facilitate the inclusion organisations to facilitate the inclusion of children with additional support of children with additional support needs.needs.

Consultancy cont.SCAN organisations are required to SCAN organisations are required to provide cultural education and provide cultural education and consultancy to support service providers consultancy to support service providers to:to:

• increase access and inclusion for increase access and inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from Culturally children and children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.backgrounds.

• build relationships and engage with build relationships and engage with families in the local community.families in the local community.

Consultancy cont.• create environments which are create environments which are

welcoming.welcoming.

• form networks and relationships with form networks and relationships with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other cultural community Islander and other cultural community groups. groups. 

• use these relationships to develop a use these relationships to develop a culturally appropriate and culturally appropriate and diverse curriculum.diverse curriculum.

Funding

SCAN funding is limited to a maximum SCAN funding is limited to a maximum of two and a half days per week (15 of two and a half days per week (15 hours) per child per service, and will hours) per child per service, and will be paid on a half day or full day basis.be paid on a half day or full day basis.

Funding cont.

The per day rate per place is:The per day rate per place is:

$45$45

The per day rate per place for The per day rate per place for Exceptional Circumstances Funding is Exceptional Circumstances Funding is an additional: an additional:

$25$25

Individual applicationsAn individual application is required for a An individual application is required for a child enrolled in an eligible service who child enrolled in an eligible service who has been identified as requiring additional has been identified as requiring additional support to access and be engaged in the support to access and be engaged in the service. service.

All relevant attachments and supporting All relevant attachments and supporting documentation must be included when documentation must be included when funding for the child is first sought .funding for the child is first sought .

Applications are approved for a period up Applications are approved for a period up to six months (two terms).to six months (two terms).

Exceptional Circumstances

In cases of exceptional circumstances where In cases of exceptional circumstances where a service is absolutely unable to include a a service is absolutely unable to include a child in the service without additional child in the service without additional funding; a service must complete funding; a service must complete in additionin addition to an to an individual child application formindividual child application form a a detailed detailed exceptional circumstances funding exceptional circumstances funding applicationapplication..

Short term funding form In cases of short term enrolments or where In cases of short term enrolments or where the family is unable to provide the family is unable to provide documentation a short term funding formdocumentation a short term funding form may be submitted. may be submitted.

Short term funding is for a maximum of ten Short term funding is for a maximum of ten weeks.weeks.

Eligible services should contact their SCAN Eligible services should contact their SCAN organisation by telephone to discuss organisation by telephone to discuss procedures for short term funding procedures for short term funding applications.applications.

Continuation of funding/funding adjustment forms

These forms are for children requiring These forms are for children requiring funding in the next funding period or funding in the next funding period or where adjustments are required to the where adjustments are required to the child’s current funding.child’s current funding.

This includes children in receipt of This includes children in receipt of funding who will be returning to the funding who will be returning to the service in the following calendar year. service in the following calendar year.

Variations to fundingServices are required to notify SCAN Services are required to notify SCAN organisations within two working weeks of the organisations within two working weeks of the changes to a child’s:changes to a child’s:

• Attendance pattern (including absences of Attendance pattern (including absences of more than five weeks)more than five weeks)

• Support need Support need

Where children are absent for less than five Where children are absent for less than five weeks services can retain the funding weeks services can retain the funding associated for that child to support other associated for that child to support other children in need.children in need.

Longer term absence will result in suspension of Longer term absence will result in suspension of funding pending the return of the child.funding pending the return of the child.

Funding Calendar The main application process will occur The main application process will occur in term fourin term four

New funding applications, and New funding applications, and applications for continuation of funding, applications for continuation of funding, will be called for during term two for will be called for during term two for funding during the last two terms.funding during the last two terms.

Late preschool enrolments, or enrolments Late preschool enrolments, or enrolments in vacation care and occasional care in vacation care and occasional care services, funding application forms may services, funding application forms may be submitted as children enrol.be submitted as children enrol.

Funding assessment and approval process If the SCAN application is approved If the SCAN application is approved SCAN organisations will inform the SCAN organisations will inform the service of:service of:

• The approved amount of fundingThe approved amount of funding

• The purpose for which the funding is The purpose for which the funding is approvedapproved

• The start and end date of the SCAN The start and end date of the SCAN funding periodfunding period

Purchase of specialised equipment

Funding obtained through individual Funding obtained through individual applications can be used to purchase applications can be used to purchase minor items of specialised equipment.minor items of specialised equipment.

Services holding specialised equipment Services holding specialised equipment which they no longer require should which they no longer require should contact their local SCAN organisation.contact their local SCAN organisation.

Documentation requirements The most recent and relevant report, The most recent and relevant report, assessment or a letter that states the assessment or a letter that states the child’s additional needs is required from a child’s additional needs is required from a relevant professional for all SCAN relevant professional for all SCAN funding applications. funding applications.

Documentation must be on letterhead and Documentation must be on letterhead and signed by the relevant professional.signed by the relevant professional.

For electronic documentation the For electronic documentation the signature block must include the relevant signature block must include the relevant professional qualification.professional qualification.

Relevant professionals• University qualified Early Childhood University qualified Early Childhood

Teacher with additional Teacher with additional qualifications in Special Educationqualifications in Special Education

• Primary Teacher with additional Primary Teacher with additional qualifications in Special Educationqualifications in Special Education

• A General Practitioner, case worker A General Practitioner, case worker or government agency involved with or government agency involved with the child and/or family the child and/or family

• SpecialistsSpecialists

Accountability requirements

• Bi-annual accountability forms Bi-annual accountability forms will be required by services will be required by services receiving SCAN funding.receiving SCAN funding.

• Accountability forms must be Accountability forms must be received for continued funding.received for continued funding.

Acronyms

SCANSCAN Supporting Children with Additional Needs Supporting Children with Additional Needs

CCBCCB Child Care Benefit Child Care Benefit

CBCB Challenging Behaviour Challenging Behaviour

DisDis Disability Disability

RAMRAM Resource Allocation Model Resource Allocation Model

PIRPPIRP Preschool Investment Reform Plan Preschool Investment Reform Plan

Questions?Questions?