Inclusion Support Program: Services, Supports and Access
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“High quality, inclusive programs are shaped by the diverse and unique experiences, perspectives, skills and talents of the children, families, and educators. Everyone has a role in inclusive practice!”
The Inclusion Support Program (ISP) helps child care facilities in removing barriers, allowing a child with additional support needs to meaningfully participate in programming and activities with their peers.
The Inclusion Support Program is administered by a team of professionals with specialized education and experience in disability, child development, early learning environments, and child family-centered practice. Inclusion Support Program Coordinators provide support, guidance and training to child care facilities on best practices in providing inclusive programming and removing barriers to children’s genuine participation.
Each child care facility can ask for support from an Inclusion Support Program Coordinator. Your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator will help advise you on next steps for accessing services. If you are not sure who your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator is, email ELCC-ISP@gov.mb.ca.
Services available to eligible facilities include:
- Child Development Services
- Funded Services, including:
- Staff Enhancement Grant
- Guaranteed Space Payment
- Specialized Grant (for equipment, renovations or specialized training)
- Training through funded organizations
Child Development Services
Through short-term interventions, Inclusion Support Program Coordinators provide programming recommendations, environmental adaptations, behavioural strategies, resources and training for child care professionals in licensed centres and homes to better meet the needs of all children in the early learning and child care environment.
Training and workshops in inclusive practice and self-regulation are available and are customized to each facility’s specific needs.
How to Access Child Development Services:
All licensed child care facilities can access Child Development Services. This includes funded and unfunded (including for-profit) child care centres, nursery schools and family/group child care homes.
You do not need to fill out an application form to access Child Development Services. Contact your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator directly to request support, or email ELCC-ISP@gov.mb.ca.
Funded Services
The Inclusion Support Program may provide grants or payments to help licensed non-profit child care centres and nursery schools, as well as family and group child care homes, to pay for additional supports. Grants depend on eligibility, assessed need of the child and facility, and available resources.
Staff Enhancement Grant
A Staff Enhancement Grant may be available to enhance the adult-to-child ratio to help child care staff to meet the needs of all children in the group. It is expected that all child care staff (early childhood educators, child care assistants and home providers) will work with all children and be aware of all children’s needs. While there may be times in a day where a child may need more support, funds are not intended to provide one-to-one support, with the exception of children with URIS A health care needs who require nursing supports.
Child care facilities approved for a Staff Enhancement Grant must complete and submit the Staff Enhancement Grant Payment Form (PDF) at the end of each billing period for payment.
Guaranteed Space Payment
The Guaranteed Space Payment pays a family or group child care home to keep an open space within the total number of licensed spaces. The purpose is to reduce the staff to child ratios allowing the provider more time to spend with the child with additional support needs.
The provider must ensure that the space is for the same age category and remains unused. For example, a provider licensed for up to eight children could enroll only a maximum of seven children when receiving the Guaranteed Space Payment.
The Guaranteed Space Payment is processed through our Subsidy Unit at the regulated maximum daily rate. The family/group provider must complete and submit their monthly attendance report at the end of each billing/reporting period for payment.
Specialized Grant
The Specialized Grant provides funds for specialized equipment, renovations, and/or specialized training for educators. For more information on accessing the Specialized Grant, reach out to your assigned Inclusion Support Program Coordinator, or email the general ISP email at ELCC-ISP@gov.mb.ca.
How to access funded services: Eligible facilities must first obtain the family’s consent using the Inclusion Support Program (ISP) Declaration of Consent and complete the Inclusion Support Program Eligibility Application form (PDF).
Completed applications are to be emailed to ELCC-ISP@gov.mb.ca.
To learn more about eligibility for funded services, see the Inclusion Support Program’s eligibility policy: Early Learning and Child Care Program Policy Document - Inclusion Support Program Eligibility Application (PDF).
What Happens After You Submit Your Eligibility Application for Funded Services?
Your application will be reviewed to determine whether your facility and the child on whose behalf you are applying is eligible for funded services.
You will receive an email to confirm whether or not you have been approved. If approved, you will receive a service planning request form and a helpful information sheet to assist you when filling out the service planning request form. Email the completed form to your assigned Inclusion Support Program Coordinator, together with supporting documentation such as: facility information, diagnostic assessments, therapeutic/specialist reports, or other documentation you have collected.
The assessment reviews information about the child's needs, the facility's ability to meet those needs and to identify any barriers.
Assessment and Service Planning for Funded Services
Your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator will review the information package you have provided. If the information package is complete, your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator will complete an assessment and develop a service plan to meet identified needs.
If you submit an incomplete information package, your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator will contact you to discuss what is required to enable them to complete an assessment.
The assessment reviews information about the child’s needs and the facility’s ability to meet those needs and to identify any barriers. Barriers may include: staffing capacity, trained staffing levels, accessibility, discrimination, equipment etc.
Service planning is based on the findings of the assessment and will include services and supports to address the barriers identified. For example, a facility may request additional staff to assist with a two person lift of a child in a wheelchair to transport them up stairs. The Inclusion Support Program Coordinator may identify that the more appropriate plan would be a ramp to address this accessibility barrier.
The Inclusion Support Program Coordinator will review their findings and the service plan they developed with you.
Training by Funded Organizations
A variety of organizations are funded by government to deliver training to child care providers on a range of topics, such as the characteristics of autism, strategies for understanding and managing challenging behaviours, teaching communication and social skills, building positive relations, promoting quality care for children and workshops on inclusion in child care.
How to access training by funded organizations: Review the department’s Professional Development webpage or contact your Inclusion Support Program Coordinator.
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