Long day care services receiving kindergarten funding

There is no need to advise the Department outside the quarterly data collection process if your enrolments have changed. Data is collected from you quarterly which is used to calculate your funding entitlement. This is the point at which you will need to advise us of your actual enrolment and teacher information. In December each year, enrolments will be reconciled and an adjustment to your funding will occur if necessary.

Under the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme a child must be enrolled in an approved kindergarten program for 15 hours per week for the kindergarten program provider to be eligible for the kindergarten subsidy for that child.

There is flexibility in how services providing an approved kindergarten program can achieve the 15 hours per week requirement. For example a service may offer a program from 9.00am to 2.00pm, three days a week and/or from 8.30am to 4.00pm two days per week.

The guidelines for approved kindergarten program providers require services to clearly display the kindergarten program operating hours.

To attract the subsidy, a child must be enrolled in a long day care service for the number of days required to ensure they participate in 15 hours of the kindergarten program. For example a kindy-age child enrolled two days a week (equating to 20 hours of care) in a long day care service that provides a kindergarten program from 9.00am to 2.00pm does not attract the kindergarten subsidy. In this scenario the child would only be enrolled in the approved kindergarten program for 10 hours rather than the required 15 hours.

To ensure payment is not provided to the incorrect bank account, you will need to contact the Department on (07) 3247 0402 and advise that you have new bank account details. You will need to complete and sign a new Vendor Master Data Maintenance Form and return it to the Department so that your account details can be amended on the Department's financial management system.

Approved kindergarten program providers are required to report to the Department in writing within 14 working days of any changes to teaching staff employment.

Your service will then be required to recruit an appropriately qualified kindergarten teacher to deliver the program. Once you have engaged an appropriately qualified kindergarten teacher, the Department has an application process to recognise qualifications that meet the requirements to be a kindergarten teacher under the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme. If the applicant meets the criteria, a Letter of Recognition with a unique identifier will be issued.

A person who holds a Letter of Recognition as a kindergarten teacher is required to provide a copy to a prospective/current employer to support ongoing eligibility requirements under the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme.

Your service can apply for teacher recognition according to one of the following three options:

1. Submit the Department's kindergarten teacher recognition letter.

   If you have an appropriately qualified kindergarten teacher employed who is already recognised by the Department to deliver a kindergarten program, attach the teacher's Letter Of Recognition from the Department to your funding application form.

2. Apply for kindergarten teacher recognition for a currently employed person.

   If your organisation has employed an appropriately qualified kindergarten teacher who requires recognition of qualifications before delivering the kindergarten program, complete the Application for Teacher Recognition form and attach it to your funding application form.

3. Apply later if you are trying to recruit a kindergarten teacher.

   If your organisation is in the process of recruiting an appropriately qualified kindergarten teacher to deliver the kindergarten program, your service can have a nominated teacher's qualifications recognised or individuals can apply at any time by completing the Application for Teacher Recognition form.

Emergency Relief

For periods of 10 working days or less, if a qualified early childhood teacher cannot be recruited to relieve, then the approved kindergarten program provider may engage a teacher with a minimum three year qualification that complies with the requirements of the Child Care Act 2002.

For periods of 11 working days or more, if a qualified early childhood teacher cannot be recruited to relieve, then the service must advise the Department as soon as practicable.