The Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) is to be replace by the new Kindy Funding operation from 2023.
Here's how it works
Overview
LDC providers can receive up to 5 grants in 2023. These are:
Base Subsidy
Affordability Subsidy
Service Location Subsidy
Educational Need Subsidy
Inclusion Subsidy
Subsidies are given for each eligible, enrolled child.
For a child to be eligible, they must be at least 4 years old by 30th June 2023.
For a service to be eligible, they must:
be registered as an approved kindergarten program provider (and not had their registration suspended/revoked) & deliver an approved/alternative kindergarten program.
employ a qualified early childhood teacher (ECT) to deliver the approved kindergarten program.
offer and provide all eligible children in the approved kindergarten program an annual provision of 600 hours made up of at least 15 hours a week or 30 hours per fortnight for 40 weeks (any other model must be approved by the Department of Education).
Have a Working Towards NQS Rating or higher, or are yet to be assessed.
If provider is a Long Day Care service - be eligible for Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
Each subsidy has its own guidelines, so let's go through them.
What Subsidies Are Available?
Base Subsidy
This is a flat fee for each enrolled, eligible child at $1,847.50 annually. It's split into 4 quarterly payments across the year.
Spending rules are that at least 75% must be spent on:
Fee reductions for each eligible child (taken after CCS has been applied)
Improved entitlements for ECTs delivering the program (inc. bonus, professional development, learning resources)
Up to 25% can be spent on resources for eligible children and/or extracurricular activities.
When reporting spending, providers must be able to show evidence that it was used in line with the spending rules. This requires keeping a record on spending.
Affordability Subsidy
This funding is split into 'Kindy Plus' & 'Kindy Family Tax Benefit (FTB)', and is a quarterly payment for each eligible child. It must only be used as fee reductions for eligible families (applied after CCS is calculated).
Kindy Plus is a subsidy of up to $1,409.50 each year. To receive the subsidy, a child must meet 1 of the following criteria:
the family must have an Australian Government Health Care Card, current Australian Government Concession Card, Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card or White Card, or evidence of formal foster or kinship care arrangements.
the child is living in a formal child protection out-of-home-care arrangement
the child or parent identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
the family has 3 or more children of the same age attending a kindergarten program at the same time
the family and child have entered Australia under the Refugee and Humanitarian Program, or is in the process of seeking asylum and holds a temporary visa.
Kindy FTB is a subsidy of $500 per year, and given to a family who received Family Tax Benefit Part A or B during the 2021-22 Financial Year.
Families can not claim both Kindy Plus & Kindy FTB. If they are eligible for both, they should just receive Kindy Plus.
Service Location Subsidy
This funding is calculated per eligible child (with a minimum of 22).
Eligibility is based on location, with:
Outer Regional services receiving $374 per child/year
Remote services receiving $974 per child/year
Very Remote services receiving $1,405 per child/year
The subsidy is used to help services recruit ECTs, including:
assisting ECTs with relocation and rent costs, including flights to and from home.
Paying bonuses, above award wages, additional annual leave to eligible ECTs.
Professional development & learning resources for eligible ECTs.
Services should be able to provide evidence of this funding, such as payslips, financial reports and correspondence.
Educational Need Grant
This funding - also known as Kindy Uplift - is only available to 900 services, and the amounts vary depending on the service.
Services should spend this on programs, resources, educational supports and professional development to build educator capability, support inclusion and improve children's learning and development with a focus on 1 or more of the priority areas:
social and emotional capability
physicality
thinking and responding
oral language and communication
access and inclusion
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and inclusion (from 2024).
To get the funding, services should submit a Kindy Uplift Plan, and have it approved by a Kindy Uplift advisor. They will then only be able to spend money on the Kindy Uplift plan, which they should be able to demonstrate.
Inclusion Subsidy
Also known as Inclusion Ready, this funding is $154 per eligible child/year.
The subsidy should be used to:
Improve participation and attendance for all children
ensure children with diverse backgrounds or additional needs are provided with adjustments, supplementary to the strategies and resources already available
engage in professional development to ensure educators support children and families to feel welcome, engaged and culturally safe
support the transition into kindergarten or Prep for children with diverse backgrounds or additional needs.
Funding must be spent on programs, resources, equipment, educational materials, professional development, or visiting partners or specialists. As with all other types, it should be demonstrated through evidence including receipts and financial reports.
What you can expect from OWNA
We are working with the Queensland government to be able to report all of the information related to child eligibility, so that funding can be calculated.
We also are enhancing our discounting feature and reporting functions to help you report evidence and apply funding to families.
For more information on the Queensland Kindy Funding program, please head to the Queensland Government website.