Bilingual Support

What is Bilingual Support?

Bilingual Support provides language support for children and/or families who do not speak English fluently. This is usually done through the provision of a Bilingual Facilitator who can speak the child’s first language and assist educators to communicate with the child and their family. Bilingual Support can also include access to interpreter services and translation of written documents to support communication with a child’s family. In most cases Bilingual Support is a short-term form of support while a child settles into a new early childhood setting.

What does a Bilingual Facilitator do?

A Bilingual Facilitator typically works directly with the child and their educators to interpret and to provide security and comfort during the child’s transition into the service. They can also help educators to communicate with the child’s family members and facilitate information sharing between the service and the family.

In addition to this language support, Bilingual Facilitators also provide insight into the child’s culture for educators. This is often done in an informal way as the facilitator and educators work alongside each other.

When is Bilingual Support needed?

Bilingual Support is needed when language differences create a barrier to inclusion. This could be because a child becomes distressed or withdrawn because of their inability to communicate effectively with their peers and educators or because educators are unable to communicate with the child’s family members in order to share important information.

Bilingual Support will not be needed in all cases where there are language differences. There may be another educator or family member who can act as an interpreter, or a child may settle happily despite the language difference.

Developing an Innovative Solutions Support Project

Developing and Innovative Solutions Support project, in most cases, requires your service to:

• Have a current Strategic Inclusion Plan (SIP);
• Complete an application form; and
• Develop a Project Plan.

Strategic Inclusion Plan requirements for a Bilingual Support Project

In general, it is expected that your service will have an up to date Strategic Inclusion Plan (SIP), with current Barriers to inclusion identified and Strategies and Actions developed to address the Barriers, in order to apply for Innovative Solutions Support.

However, in the case of urgent applications for Bilingual Support this is not a requirement. In such cases it is expected that, after the assessment and outcome of the application, your service will then develop a SIP. Where an urgent application has been approved without a SIP, any subsequent applications will not be considered until your service has developed their SIP.

Before beginning an application, you should discuss with your Inclusion Professional (IP) whether Innovative Solutions Support is the most appropriate option for your circumstances.

The following resource is designed to help you to develop your project.

Applying for Innovative Solutions Support

There is a separate application form for each type of Innovative Solutions Support Project.

Applications for Innovative Solutions Support can be made at any time and can be for an individual service (or a specific care environment within the service) or a group of services.

With support of your Inclusion Professional, you will be required to complete the relevant application form and, if required, a Project Plan before lodging your application through the Inclusion Support Portal.

Project Plan

Developing a Project Plan is an important part of the planning process. Project plans show who will be doing what, and when and how it will be implemented.

An Innovative Solutions Support Project Plan should be developed in consultation with your Inclusion Professional and your chosen Support Provider.

Please note: For Bilingual Support applications, a separate project plan is not usually necessary. However, if your proposed project is more complex than can be easily shown on the Application Form, please use the Project Plan resources below to develop a separate plan.

Submitting an application

Services are required to upload their application form and relevant attachments to the IS Portal. Once submitted, each application is sent to the service's Inclusion Professional for endorsement and is then assessed by the Inclusion Development Fund Manager (IDFM).

Application outcomes

If funding is approved

The service will receive an email with a Letter of Offer attached, providing the details of their approved Innovative Solutions Case. This will be sent to the Service Provider email address listed on the SIP. This letter must be signed and returned to the IDF Manager at idfminnovative@ku.com.au. Once the agreement is executed, payment will be made directly to the service from the Department.

If funding is not approved

The service will receive an email with an Application Declined letter attached. This will be sent to the Service Provider email address listed on the SIP. The outcome of the assessment will be available as an ‘Assessment Outcome’ note on the IS Case.