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Important Notice

The IDFM Office will close for phone and email queries at 1pm on Monday 23 December 2024 and reopen at 9am on Thursday 2 January 2025. The IDFM team will continue to assess applications during this period. All enquiries received during this period will be responded to as soon as possible when the IDFM Office reopens.


Great news – Improvements to the IS Portal & New Resource for Services!

A quick guide and full guide are available to support you to navigate the exciting changes to the Strategic Inclusion Plan on the IS Portal.

There is a Checklist to help services to ensure your IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator application is complete and accurate, prior to submission to your IP for endorsement.


Current application processing timeframes for IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator:

The demand for support through the Inclusion Support Program has resulted in a high volume of applications being submitted for IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator. Applications are being assessed as efficiently as possible, but unfortunately this is currently not within the usual timeframes. Thank you for your patience at this time.

Please go to the Important Information page for further information and updates.


Contact your IA immediately about any changes in the care environment

The approval for IDF is based on the needs of the care environment detailed in the application, including the children listed and the attendance pattern of the children included in the IS Case. Services must contact their IA to inform them of any changes in the care environment, and they will advise if any action is required.
Changes to the care environment may include situations where:

  • The child on an approved IS case increases or decreases their hours of attendance in the care environment
  • More support from an Additional Educator is required due to the enrolment of an additional child with ongoing high support needs
  • Significant staffing changes, which may result in a loss or increase of inclusion capabilities in the care environment
  • The purpose of funding is no longer in line with the approved purposes, such as service commences operating a state funded kindergarten programme and the child/ren is enrolled.

The service, in collaboration with the IA, must review:

  • The SIP and care environment
  • Whether additional support of an Additional Educator is required
  • Whether the purpose of the funding is in line with the ISP Guidelines.

Child changes care environments

When a child with ongoing high support needs moves to a different care environment within the service, the service in collaboration with the IA must determine what inclusion support may be required in the new care environment. Where an IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator is required for the new care environment, a new application for the new care environment must be submitted.

Contact the IDFM about changes of circumstances in relation to the following:

  • IDF Subsidy for an Additional Educator is no longer required because a child has left the service. Services are requested to email a completed Final Review Form to the IDFM within 10 days of becoming aware of this.
  • The service experiences a Change of Service Ownership or CCS Approval ID. Services are requested to notify the IDFM within 30 days of the change. For further information please refer to the Change of Ownership - Information sheet.
  • A child in the IS Case is absent for longer than 60 days during the approval period.