Inclusive environments for children

Children 0–13 years of age may be eligible for short-term specialized support funding in a child care centre if they meet the following criteria.

The child care centre:

• Has reviewed the funding policy
• Has an agreement with Niagara Region Children's Services
• Has used and exhausted all internal and community supports, including training to build internal capacity and address the child's needs on an ongoing basis
• Is compliant with any additional service agreement requirements with Niagara Region

The child must be:

• On an inclusion quality coordinator caseload, with the consultant available to visit the centre at least weekly to support classroom educators, unless otherwise approved
• Enrolled in the program for at least 20 days before funding is requested, unless otherwise approved

Using and exhausting community supports means you have:

• Conducted a comprehensive environmental assessment (e.g. ITERS-3, ECERS-3, SACERS)
• Administered the Caregiver Interaction Scale
• Collaborated with community partners/therapists to explore additional strategies, such as a child's SLP/OT
• Consistently implemented recommended inclusion quality coordinator and behaviour consultant strategies
• Attended relevant professional learning opportunities

If the child requiring support is 0 to five years of age (or turning six between Jan. 1 and June 30), the child care centre must use their Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care allocation to fund additional staff, if funding is available within the centre's budget. Centres are advised to review their cost-based allocations internally.

If the child care centre determines they don't have available funds in their allocation to cover the cost of additional staff, an application for short-term support funding can be submitted.

When approved for short-term specialized support funding, you'll need to submit invoices demonstrating how the funding is being used in your program.

Watch how to complete an invoice for short-term specialized support funding.

1. The child care centre supervisor, in partnership with the inclusion quality coordinator, completes the application form — submitted at least five business days before the required start date, wherever possible.
2. If funding is approved, the community pedagogical advisor emails the approval document to the child care centre supervisor and inclusion quality coordinator.
3. To apply for continued support after the initial fourteen weeks, the short-term specialized funding renewal application must be completed by the deadline outlined in the funding approval.
4. Online or in-person meetings to discuss the need for ongoing support may be required by the community pedagogical advisor.

Funded hours of support are based on the child's actual attended hours and days only. Payment is based on child attendance. Support isn't paid when the child is absent, or if the child attended but no support was available.

The child care centre is responsible for sending an invoice with a record of the child's attendance no later than the 15th day of the following month, emailed to csreferrals@niagararegion.ca for processing.

Parents and/or licensed child care centres have the right to appeal funding decisions.

1. The child care centre emails the service system performance management advisor via csreferrals@niagararegion.ca to indicate they and/or the parent wish to appeal the decision to reduce or terminate funding.
2. Within five business days of receiving the email, a case conference is held with the parent, child care centre, representative(s) of the inclusion quality coordinator agency, community pedagogical and quality program manager, and any other agencies supporting the child as needed.
3. Alternate supports are discussed during the case conference to determine any other possible funding or support options within the child care operation.

If no alternatives are available, the appeal is forwarded to the Child Services Community Strategies manager to determine if ongoing funding is approved.