Uniting has welcomed a report to improve access to and connections with early childhood services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families …
What is Kindergarten Inclusion Support (KIS)?
Supporting children of all abilities.
The Kindergarten Inclusion Support (KIS) program enables kindergartens to be responsive to the individual abilities, interests and needs of children living with a disability, developmental delay or complex medical needs.
The program provides resources for educators to deliver an inclusive program for children with additional needs to support their learning and development.
We are the largest provider of the Victorian Government’s KIS program.
KIS programs
KIS programs provide all children with genuine opportunities to access and participate in kindergarten programs.
KIS programs include:
- KIS Disability
- KIS Complex Medical Needs.
How KIS works
The KIS program includes:
- A specialist consultant to guide educators to modify their kindergarten program
- Specialised training for the kindergarten team to meet the individual needs of a child living with a disability or complex medical needs
- Minor building modifications such as ramps and grip rails to support a child to attend a service and participate in activities
- An additional assistant to help deliver a kindergarten program that is inclusive of all children
- A Specialist Equipment Trial (SET).
Team approach and the role of Additional Assistants
All members of kindergarten teams contribute to the education of children in the group.
The benefits of a team approach are:
- Educators have increased capacity to provide a flexible program that responds to the needs of each child in the group
- The kindergarten promotes understanding of and respect for diversity to children, families and carers
- All children are supported to develop trusting relationships with team members, developing a sense of belonging to the group and the broader community.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for KIS programs, services need to demonstrate the following in their application:
- Their program is funded by the Victorian Government.
A child must meet one of the following criteria:
- Has a disability as defined by the Disability Act 2006 with ongoing high support needs
- Is undergoing continuing assessment of a disability, as defined by the Disability Act 2006 with ongoing high support needs.
In addition to at least one of the following:
- Poses a significant risk of serious injury to self or others
- Is impacted by movement restrictions
- Has exceptional support needs that require immediate medical intervention for life-threatening situations.
Before starting an application, please read the KIS guidelines.
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