Children have different levels of disability, from mild to moderate to complex.
When planning your OSHC program, you will need to take into account the unique needs of the children with complex disabilities who attend your service. You will also need to adapt your program to make sure all activities can be done by everyone, including children with complex disabilities.
The National Quality Framework for education and care explains the standards for child-centred and individualised planning you should meet:
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Educational and practice: planning and design of the program around the strengths, abilities and support needs of each individual child.
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Relationships with : ensuring each child has input and influence into their experience at OSHC and receives the individual care and support that meets their unique needs and personal goals.
Below, learn how to achieve and exceed the National Quality Standard.
Introducing an individual support plan
An individual support plan is the most important document you will need to create for each child with a complex disability, to help you better understand the child. Staff should have easy access to this document.
An individual support plan covers a child's:
- background, personal circumstances and diagnosis
- strengths, interests and capabilities
- support needs such as medical, personal or communication supports (where required)
- positive behaviour support plans (where required)
- Child-centred and individualised planning areas
Child-centred and individualised planning areas
Resources
- Child enrolment questionnaire (DOCX - – use this during conversations with the child with complex disability, their family and support team to develop the child's individual support plan and child profile.
- Individual support plan template (DOCX - – use this to create an individual support plan for a child with a complex disability. An optional positive behaviour support plan is available in this template.
- Inclusive OSHC programming tool template (DOCX - – use this when planning and designing your program and activities to make sure all children, including children with complex disabilities, are able to take part.
The IncludED@OSHC learning modules are hosted on the Learneyo . Register as a user to access the modules and to ensure technical compatibility use Google Chrome or Safari as your browser.
These modules are relevant to this section:
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Introduction to complex disability and inclusion – what complex disability is and how to include children with complex disability in your service.
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Program planning for children with complex disabilities – how to plan and design your program to include children with complex disabilities, plan individual support and adjust your service so the children can take part.
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Health and personal care support needs – the individual health care and personal care support that children with a complex disability may require at your service.
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Supporting children with complex communication needs – how your service can communicate with children who use augmentative and alternative methods of communication.
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Supporting adolescents with complex disability in OSHC – how to support adolescents with complex disability in your program.
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Risk management planning – how to risk plan for excursions and activities.
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Diversity, trauma and complex disabilities – what you need to consider when children with complex disabilities come from diverse backgrounds or have experienced trauma.
Reviewed 14 July 2023