Notice to Child Care Services:Inclusion Support Programme– Requirements for access to the new IS Portal for services

This notice detailsthe requirements for Early Childhood and Child Care (ECCC) servicesto be able to accessthe new Inclusion Support (IS) Portal, which will be the main access point for support under the Inclusion Support Programme (ISP) from 1 July 2016.

As you would be aware, as at 30 June 2016 the Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP) will cease and will be replaced by the new ISP.The IS Portal is a webbased application which manages eligible ECCC services’ interactions with the ISP. Each individual user of the ISPortal will receive their own unique log-on information once they have registered for access.

The IS Portal facilitates the development of an online Strategic Inclusion Plan (SIP) which is the first step in accessing any support under the ISP, includingadvice on inclusion practices, funding under the Inclusion Development Fund (IDF) and access to specialist equipment. This IS Portal will replace the current IS Portal that has supported the administration of the Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) under the IPSP since 2011.

From 1 July 2016, the Inclusion Agency in each state or territorywill be responsible for providing ECCC services with access to the IS Portal. However, there are a number of requirements ECCC services must undertake before access can be granted.

Key requirements for accessing the new IS Portal

  1. All IS portal users must be listed as an authorised or key person for the ECCC service on the CCMS Personnel RecordsAND have a unique email address that is not shared between other personnel records for different people. Each individual user of the IS Portal will receive their own unique log-on information for the IS Portal.
  2. Each person/s responsible for accessing the IS Portal in the ECCC servicemust have an AUSkey. Obtaining an AUSkey number is free, however it requires a software product (which can be downloaded for free) to be installed onto the ECCC service’s computer or a USB so that it can be used on multiple devices. AUSkey cannot be used on mobile devices (such as phones or tablets).A standard AUSkey will be sufficient to access the IS Portal.
  3. If the ECCC business does not already have an AUSkey linked to their Australian Business Number, an eligible associate recorded on the Australian Business Register for that ABN must register themselves or someone else for the first AUSkey for the ABN. Further information on AUSKey is available at the Australian Business Register website.
  4. Anyone within the business with an Administrator AUSkey can approve requests for a Standard AUSkey.The individual must be registered using the same unique email address listed on the CCMS Personnel record. Each individual AUSKey user must also have the AUSKey software downloaded onto their computer or accessible via a USB whenever they access the IS Portal.
  5. The Australian Government standard for all online services is that individual users must be identified when accessing government services online. As the IS Portal collects and stores personal information, there is a requirement that the Department provides appropriate authentication to ensure all users are authorised to access the system.
  6. Once the Inclusion Agency grants access to the IS Portal to the first user within an ECCC service, the first usercan then provision access to each additional user inthe service.It is important to note that each additional user must also be recorded on the CCMS Personnel Record as an authorised or key person with a unique email address and have an AUSKey (see 1 and 2 above).

Key dates for accessing the IS Portal

In normal circumstances, the new IS Portal will be accessible from 1 July 2016.ECCC services wishing to obtain access from Monday 13 June 2016 (or as quickly as possible thereafter) to submit applications for support, via the IDF - Immediate/Time Limited support,for early July should request access from the Department of Education and Training. For the period prior to 1 July 2016, services will gain access to the new ISPortal by advising the department .

In the email request to the department, the service must provide their CCBApprovalID, full name and an email address identifying the person requiring access to the IS Portal. This person must be listed on the CCMS Personnel Records for the service as an authorised or key person for the service. The person’s email address must be unique to that person and not shared between personnel records for different people, and must be the same email address that the service used to register the individual for AUSKey.

Key changes to the IS Portal

The new IS Portal is a user-friendly, simplified web-based application to facilitate ECCC services’ interaction with ISP. It provides step-by-step guidance for services to complete an online SIP and access funding available through all streams of the IDF.

The new ISPortal will also improve the department’s ability to understand the inclusion needs of ECCCservices which will assist to continuously improve the inclusion support provided to services.

The key changes to the IS Portal are outlined in the table below.

Current IS Portal / New IS Portal
Access / Service contacts their Inclusion Support Agency, who creates an IS Case in the ISPortal and provides log on information. / Service contacts their IA who creates a SIP and provides a welcome email to the service provider’s organisation email address.
Logging in / Combination of a service’s CCB Approval ID and IS Case ID. / Individual users will receive a unique username and password.
Viewable content / Services can view one IS Case per login to the ISPortal. / Users will be able to view all content for their service or provider organisation once logged in.
This enables centralised management of all IS Cases for a service, and services can manage inclusion support for multiple CCB Approval ID’s.
Function / Services are required to access the IS Portal only if a service is applying for ISS. / Services are required to access the ISPortal if a service requires any inclusion support from ISP.
This includes inclusion advice and assistance from the IA, access to specialist equipment and all streams of the Inclusion Development Fund (IDF).
Inclusion Plan / Completed as a word document and uploaded as an attachment to the ISPortal.
Completed in the context of a single care environment. / Completed as an online form within the ISPortal.
Completed in the context of the whole service, with an inclusion profile for each care environment the service requires inclusion support.
Child information / Information about the child is added to each IS Case for a service. / Information about the child is uploaded once by the service and can be inputted into IS Cases for the service as required.
Submitting claims / Claims occur via a service’s CCMS software.
Services submit their CCB session of attendance followed by an ISS session of care which outlines the hours the service is claiming. / Claims will continue to occur via a service’s CCMS software.
Services submit a claim for the additional educator’s hours of attendance, and identify the enrolments for eligible children that were cared for by the additional educator for the claim week.
Permission to share personal information / Documentary evidence is required to be presented by a parent/guardian for each child care service their child attends. / Documentary evidence previously provided by a parent/guardian can be shared to a new ECCC service in the IS Portal, if a parent/guardian provides their consent to do so.

Assistance and information about access to the new IS Portal

A user guide is being developed by the department and will provide detailed information on how to use the IS Portal. This will be available from the Department’s website From 1 July 2016 the Inclusion Agency will work with the service to access and use the IS Portal.

For further information on the new programme, the ISP Guidelines are available on the department’s website

Reminder - Important dates for transitioning from IPSP to ISP

To ensure a smooth transition for services to the new Inclusion Support Programme(ISP), a number of transition arrangements are required. All CCB Approved services were sent an email about these arrangements on Tuesday 19 April 2016. Please refer back to this email for more detailed information.

Please be reminded that from Saturday 14 May 2016 ECCC services should no longer apply for, renew or vary their ISS funding via the IS Portal. Interim arrangements for ECCC services requiring inclusion support during the period 14 May to 30 June 2016.

Please contact your local ISA if you need assistance to assess your inclusion needs or to access inclusion support under the IPSP up to 30 June 2016. Contact details for the ISA in your region can be found on the department’s website

If you have any further questions about the new IS Portal and transition arrangements for support from 1July2016 please contact the Department of Education and Training via .