Flexible Support Packages Fact sheet for ECIS professionals What are Early Childhood Intervention which may include a contribution to fees to attend community based activity groups. Services (ECIS) Flexible Support Packages (FSP)? What is the role of an ECIS professional in the application process? ECIS FSP provides short-term assistance to families who have a child with a disability or The allocated ECIS professional (or Intake developmental delay and require support to Worker where a family is waiting to receive meet the child’s current needs. State funded ECIS) will be the key contact for ECIS FSP aim to support families while they the family throughout the application process. build capacity to provide for the ongoing They will work in collaboration with the family to: learning, development and wellbeing of their assist the family to understand FSP child. guidelines What type of supports can ECIS Flexible ensure that they understand how the Support Packages fund? information they provide in the application process will be used and stored There are three categories for funding under ECIS FSP. facilitate the completion of the FSSP and then the FSP application These are: assist them to provide any additional Category 1 Safety risk: physical or – information required throughout the psychological application and assessment process This category provides supports to children assist them to request a RAP decision who are at risk of harm to themselves or to appeal or file a complaint if necessary. others around them. Depending on the needs, supports might include safety child’s How much of a funding contribution can glass, home modifications or respite from a a family request? disability support service. All children and their families will have individual Category 2 Independence, mobility and – and different levels of need that will inform their functionality funding requirements. This category supports children to participate in family and community life through aiding There is a funding limit of $5,500 per child per their independence and mobility. Some financial year. Any request beyond this amount things that might be funded in this category must be approved through an exceptional include wheelchairs or communication circumstances application. equipment. Exceptional circumstances may be considered Category 3 Learning and development where: – This category supports children to participate a child has received the maximum funding in learning and development opportunities, limit for the financial year and is experiencing a newly identified need
Flexible Support Packages Fact sheet for ECIS professionals What are Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECIS) Flexible Support Packages (FSP)? ECIS FSP provides short-term assistance to families who have a child with a disability or developmental delay and require support to meet the child’s current needs. ECIS FSP aim to support families while they build capacity to provide for the ongoing learning, development and wellbeing of their child. What type of supports can ECIS Flexible Support Packages fund? There are three categories for funding under ECIS FSP. These are: Category 1 – Safety risk: physical or psychological This category provides supports to children who are at risk of harm to themselves or to others around them. Depending on the child’s needs, supports might include safety glass, home modifications or respite from a disability support service. Category 2 – Independence, mobility and functionality This category supports children to participate in family and community life through aiding their independence and mobility. Some things that might be funded in this category include wheelchairs or communication equipment. Category 3 – Learning and development This category supports children to participate in learning and development opportunities, which may include a contribution to fees to attend community based activity groups. What is the role of an ECIS professional in the application process? The allocated ECIS professional (or Intake Worker where a family is waiting to receive State funded ECIS) will be the key contact for the family throughout the application process. They will work in collaboration with the family to: assist the family to understand FSP guidelines ensure that they understand how the information they provide in the application process will be used and stored facilitate the completion of the FSSP and then the FSP application assist them to provide any additional information required throughout the application and assessment process assist them to request a RAP decision appeal or file a complaint if necessary. How much of a funding contribution can a family request? All children and their families will have individual and different levels of need that will inform their funding requirements. There is a funding limit of $5,500 per child per financial year. Any request beyond this amount must be approved through an exceptional circumstances application. Exceptional circumstances may be considered where: a child has received the maximum funding limit for the financial year and is experiencing a newly identified need
fspfactsheetforprofessionalsfebruary2015rev.docx