Steering a class of toddlers through early learning is challenging enough, but ensuring children with disabilities receive the support they need adds another layer of difficulty. Leonie Arnold, a childcare centre director in Bundaberg, has been trying to create a more inclusive environment for children with disabilities. However, after struggling with the complex application process for government funding, she has decided it’s not worth the effort. “It beggars belief that there’s funding available, but it’s so hard to access,” Arnold said.
The Inclusion Support Program (ISP), set up in 2016, aims to assist early learning centres in accommodating children with disabilities by providing funding for equipment, training, and additional educators. However, the application process requires extensive paperwork, including documentation from doctors and therapists, which is especially difficult in regional areas where appointment wait times can exceed 12 months.
Arnold’s centre has faced multiple rejections despite families investing time and money to obtain necessary documentation. She said the process has become more cumbersome, leaving staff with less time to focus on the children. “It’s affecting the care and support the kids need,” Arnold explained.
In response, Arnold decided to employ an additional educator at her own expense by increasing fees. She admitted that while her centre can afford it, many others cannot. “Inclusion should be about removing barriers, not adding more,” she said.
For some families, the ISP has been a lifeline. Annabelle Holland, a four-year-old with intellectual disability and vision impairment, was able to attend the same Melbourne daycare as her older siblings thanks to the program. However, her experience was far from straightforward. After six months, the centre was informed that her funding would be discontinued unless she moved to a senior room with her “typically developing” peers, even though Annabelle was not yet walking. Her family challenged the decision, but the ISP funding was not reinstated until she had made enough progress.
The ISP’s complexities and inconsistencies have raised concerns, particularly following a 7.30 investigation revealing that over half a billion dollars in funding was distributed by a private operator without any public record of how the funds were spent. Experts have called for an audit and a complete overhaul of the program. “It’s not functional,” said public integrity expert Geoffrey Watson.
In response, the government has acknowledged the program’s challenges. Early Education Minister Anne Aly said the government is committed to inclusion but could not comment on previous administrations. The Department of Education is currently reviewing the ISP’s administrative processes, following a report that found the system’s complexity was hindering its effectiveness.
As demand for the program continues to grow, families and childcare services alike are calling for a simpler, more transparent approach that truly supports children with disabilities.
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