‘You have to find another one’: why children with complex needs are being turned away from childcare

A program to put additional staff in Australia’s childcare centres to support children with complex needs is plagued by funding gaps and delays

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Children with complex needs are being turned away from childcare centres due to funding gaps and staff burnout, with industry leaders warning federal government inclusion rules are having the reverse effect.

The government’s inclusion support program (ISP) is intended to provide additional staff for children with complex needs, but the funding amounts to half of that needed, with centres forced to pay the rest.