Deadline: 26-Aug-22
The Australian Government is inviting applications via an open competitive process to apply to deliver services under the National Early Childhood Program for Children with Disability or Developmental Concerns (NECP) – ‘Support and connection for young children with disability or developmental concerns’ grant opportunity from December 2022 to June 2025.
This grant opportunity will provide regular, facilitated community-based supports to young children (aged 0 to 8 years) with disability or developmental concerns across Australia. The supports should aim to increase individual children’s readiness for educational environments, and provide opportunities for children with disability or developmental concerns to socialise with peers who have disability or developmental concerns and their siblings in a supported, and family-centred environment.
This grant opportunity will connect with the grant opportunity “Support and connection for parents and carers of young children with disability and developmental concerns”, with applications for both grant rounds open now.
Objectives
The objectives are to:
- Provide children with disability or developmental concerns with free of charge, regular opportunities to interact and socialise with other children who have similar experiences
- Deliver tailored supports for children with specific disabilities, including children with autism or autism-like characteristics
- Deliver services that are safe and inclusive for children who may be part of a priority cohort, such as those listed in Section 2
- Provide suggestions for potential connections to parents and carers
- Promote the NECP and this grant activity to early childhood services and professionals for referrals into to the activity.
Examples
Examples of community-based supports may include but are not limited to:
- supported playgroups with mixed activities
- facilitated group stories and imaginative play times
- facilitated group art and music programs.
Outcomes
The intended outcomes are:
- Increased school readiness of children with disability or developmental concerns
- Increased social interaction and connection for children with disability or developmental concerns
- Increased parental or carer capability to support their child’s development, and preparing them for learning environments
- Reduced need for more intensive supports later, by ensuring children have access to early supports, including improving their social skills and readiness for learning environments
- Participation in the NECP for children from potentiality vulnerable cohorts or priority groups.
Eligibility Criteria
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To be eligible you must be one of the following entity types:
- Indigenous Corporation
- Company
- Corporate State or Territory Entity
- Non-corporate State or Territory Entity
- Non-corporate State or Territory Statutory Authority
- Local Government Entity
- Cooperative
- Incorporated Association
- Statutory Entity
- Partnership
- Trustee on behalf of a Trust.
- Applications from consortia are acceptable and encouraged, as long as you have a lead applicant who is solely accountable to the Commonwealth for the delivery of grant activities and is an eligible entity as per the list above. Sub-contracting is also permitted, and sub-contracting arrangements will be monitored, including the purposes for which they are used.
For more information, visit Australian Government.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov.au/Go/Show?GoUuid=6103d80f-22c1-4d7e-95f3-9333687206a3&keyword=GO5696