The new Preschool Disability Support Program will make $17 million available for community preschools in NSW.
The new program includes $2 million set to go directly towards supporting preschool children with disabilities each year.
The new program replaces the Supporting Children with Additional Needs(link is external) (SCAN) and Intervention Support Program(link is external) (ISP).
Funding will be provided at three different levels, depending on the help needed for a child to participate in preschool:
- $45 per day for children requiring moderate help;
- $90 per day for children needing considerable adult assistance; and
- $120 per day for children requiring intensive support.
Applications will open in November 2014 for the 2015 year. Once applications are open, preschools can apply for funding at any time.
Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli said the Preschool Disability Support Program recognises the impact of disability on children, their families and community preschools.
“Attending preschool is an important developmental stage in the life of any young child and it is important to extend this experience to young children with disability,” Piccoli said.