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A Comprehensive Guide – Applying for the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme [2023]

A Guide to Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme 2023

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) in 2023. If you’re looking for information about the QKFS and how to navigate its funding requirements and guidelines, you’re in the right place. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to benefit from this essential initiative.

What Is The Queensland Kindergarden Funding Scheme

The Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) is a government initiative in the state of Queensland, Australia, aimed at providing financial support for approved kindergarten programs. It is designed to ensure that children in Queensland have access to quality early childhood education in the year before they commence full-time schooling, typically at around age five.

Under the QKFS, approved kindergarten providers, including both government and non-government organisations, receive funding to help reduce the cost of delivering kindergarten programs to families. This funding is intended to make kindergarten more affordable and accessible for parents, while also maintaining high standards of early childhood education.

The QKFS establishes guidelines, funding requirements, and eligibility criteria for kindergartens to participate in the program. It plays a crucial role in promoting early childhood education and providing children with a strong foundation for their future learning and development. 

To help you save time our dedicated team at Kinder M8 has compiled a comprehensive summary of all the essential information you need to know in order to benefit from the QKF. 

Service Eligibility 

Eligible services receive a base subsidy, with potential additional subsidies based on circumstances, all of which must be passed on to families. Here’s a breakdown of the key subsidies:

Base Subsidy:

Inclusion Subsidy: 

Affordability Subsidies:

Targeted Subsidies:

Queensland kindergarten Funding Scheme Requirements

Accessing the QKFS involves specific criteria and application processes tailored to different types of services. Whether you operate a sessional kindergarten, kindergarten service within a non-state school, limited hours care service, or long day care service, here’s what you need to qualify

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme Requirements

For Kindergarten Services (Including Limited Hours Care Services)

To qualify for Queensland Kindergarten Funding, your service must meet the following requirements:

  1. Approved Kindergarten Program Provide
    Your service must be recognized as an approved kindergarten program provider.
  2. Exclusion from Child Care Subsidy
    You cannot be eligible for Child Care Subsidy payments for eligible families during the kindergarten program’s duration.
  3. Service Approval
    Hold a valid service approval under the Education and Care Services National Law (Queensland) Act 2011 or Education and Care Services Act 2013 (Qld).
  4. Public Liability Insurance
    Maintain public liability insurance coverage of at least $10 million.
  5. Eligible Early Childhood Teacher
    Deliver an approved kindergarten program led by an eligible early childhood teacher.
  6. Accessible Fee Structure
    Demonstrate a fee structure that ensures cost is not a barrier to access.
  7. Central Governing Body Membership
    Be a member of a central governing body.

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Requirements

For Long Day Care Services

For long day care services to access QKFS the following criteria must be met:

  1. Approved Kindergarten Program Provide
    Obtain recognition as an approved kindergarten program provider.
  2. Child Care Subsidy Approval
    Be approved to receive Child Care Subsidy payments on behalf of eligible families.
  3. Service Approval
    Hold a valid service approval under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2011 (Qld).
  4. Adequate Public Liability Insurance
    Maintain public liability insurance coverage of at least $10 million.
  5. Qualified Early Childhood Teacher
    Offer an approved kindergarten program led by an eligible early childhood teacher.
  6. Affordability Focus
    Ensure your fee structure facilitates access by demonstrating that cost is not a barrier.
  7. Department Agreement
    Establish an agreement with the Department of Education.

To apply for funding, gain more insight, and register, refer to the QGrants system

How To Apply for

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme

Meet all the requirements? Here’s a concise breakdown of how to navigate the application process:

Step 1: Eligibility and Timing

Step 2: Application Submission

Step 3: Approval and Funding:

Step 4: Distinct Application Processes

Submitting an Application for

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme:

Applying for Queensland Kindergarten Funding and managing claims via the QGrants platform is a structured process.

For Sessional Kindergartens:

1. Familiarise Yourself

Begin by reading the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Essentials for sessional kindergartens (PDF, 718KB) to understand the requirements for delivering an approved kindergarten program.

2. Account Creation

Create a QGrants login and account by referring to the account creation guide. 

Once registered, you gain the ability to manage accounts, create new ones, appoint a contact officer, and process application requests.

3. Applying as a Provider

Study the application guide to prepare for the process of becoming an approved kindergarten program provider.

Make sure you have all necessary documents ready, including the program delivery template as outlined in the ‘before you start’ section.

The application guide and program delivery template can be downloaded from here under Steps 2. 

4. Agreement with the Department
Before finalising your application on QGrants, review and agree to the Queensland Kindergarten Funding standard terms and conditions (accessible via QGrants). 

Adherence to these documents is crucial to maintaining eligibility as an approved kindergarten program provider and continuing to receive subsidies.

5. Claiming Process:

Sessional kindergarten services aren’t directly claimed through the department. Contact your Central Governing Body for guidance on the electronic claiming process.

For

Long Day Care Services:

1. Preparing for Application

Start by reviewing the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Essentials for long day care providers (PDF, 752KB) to ensure your long day care service meets approved kindergarten program criteria.

2. Account Creation

Create a QGrants login and account by referring to the account creation guide. 

Once registered, you gain the ability to manage accounts, create new ones, appoint a contact officer, and process application requests.

3. Applying as a Provider

Study the application guide to prepare for the process of becoming an approved kindergarten program provider.

Make sure you have all necessary documents ready, including the program delivery template as outlined in the ‘before you start’ section.

The application guide and program delivery template can be downloaded from here under Steps 2. 

4. Agreement with the Department:

Before finalising your application on QGrants, review and agree to the Queensland Kindergarten Funding standard terms and conditions (accessible via QGrants). 

Adherence to these documents is crucial to maintaining eligibility as an approved kindergarten program provider and continuing to receive subsidies.

5. Quarterly Claim Submission

Upon approval as a kindergarten program provider, an agreement will be established in QGrants, enabling you to receive kindergarten subsidies from the subsequent reporting period.

Utilise the provided voucher to access credentials for your Child Care Management System (CCMS) and follow instructions from your CCMS provider to submit quarterly claims (That’s us here at Kinder m8).

6. Annual Roll-Over

Approved long daycare kindergarten program providers need to renew their application and establish a new agreement with the department through QGrants at the start of each calendar year to continue receiving subsidies.

Ready to Apply? 

Log in to QGrants portal here and start your QFK subsidy application. It will take about an hour to complete.

How to configure Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme and Claim using the Kinder M8 App

Step 1:Enable

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme in Kinder M8

Reach out to our support team at Kinder M8 with the details listed below from your QGrants portal to configure Kinder m8 to connect to QGrants. 

Step 2:  Configuration

A team member at Kinder M8 will enable Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) for you using the details given. Once this is set up you will see a menu called “QKFS” under the main navigation.

Step 3: Update Educator Profile 

The educators who will be part of Kindy programs must be ECT qualified.

Step 4: Update Child Profiles With QKFS Details


Go to Menu
→ Children
→ Select child’s name
→ Edit child profile
→ Navigate to QKFS. 

Under QKFS, complete the below fields and update the section. Please ensure that you fill in all the fields here for accurate information.

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme Plus: What is it?

QKFS Plus Kindy Support offers additional assistance to qualified families so they can enrol their children at a no-cost kindy. The service submits claims for QKFS Plus Kindy Support on behalf of qualified families.

QKFS Plus Eligible

To be eligible for QKFS Plus Kindy Support a family must meet one of the criteria below:

  1. A valid Health Care Card (HCC) issued by the Australian Government. Each term, the HCC should be viewed, and the service should keep a copy.
  2. Current Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card (automatic benefits to HCC); Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card; or 
  3. A formal letter from the competent authorities announcing their intention to issue an HCC; or
  4. The child identifies as Torres Strait Islander or Aboriginal. 
  5. The family is enrolled in the same year with three or more children that are the same age. Every child participating in a program has access to QKFS Plus Kindy Support. 

How To Apply Evidence On The Kinder M8 App

Navigate to Menu

→ Children

→ Select child’s name

→   Edit child profile

→ navigate to QKFS.

Under QKFS, complete the below fields and update the section.

To submit evidence,

Go to child profile

→ Select three dots

→ Select Documents

→ Add Concession Button

→ Select HCC

→ Update start and end dates.

Next, choose Family Tax Benefit from drop-down and add the dates.

Step 5: Creating Programs

You could design programs for terms that last 10 weeks each. These programs will only run from the start date for 10 weeks, so you won’t need to halt it. 

Go to Menu 

→ QKFS 

→ QKFS Programs.

Then add: 

  1. Add Program Name.
  2. Add Program start date and end date ( You should cover your 10 weeks here).
  3. Add default program days and times.
  4. Select default educator. In order to choose the default educator here, you must specify their ECT qualification under the educator profile.
  5. Select the default room. (All the children in this room will be added as part of this kindy program.)

Funding Weeks

Within each program, you can also view and edit each individual week. 

To do this:
Go to Menu 

→ QKFS 

→ Funding Weeks.

Select the year, Term and Program and view/edit the details from the below screen. 

Step 6: Updating Child Bookings

Now you have to connect bookings to Kindergarten programs. You can do this in single booking edit or bulk updates. Choose Kindergarten programs and link it with children. 

Step 7:

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme Submission

Services must submit their Queensland Kindergarten Funding requests in a specific order.

For instance, until all claims from earlier claiming periods have been submitted in sequential order, you won’t be able to submit your Q3 acquittal. Likewise, until your Q3 acquittal has been received, you will not be allowed to submit your Q4 forecast.

To Submit Forecast/Acquittal,

Go to Menu

→ QKFS

→ QKFS Submission

→ Select New Submission

Once the submission is successful you will be returned with a success message or errors.

If it’s successful it’ll say successfully submitted otherwise you can View details for any errors and warnings. 

Why Choose Kinder M8 for Your

Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme Claims?

At Kinder M8, we take immense pride in offering an unmatched, all-in-one Childcare Management Platform that simplifies every aspect of childcare administration. But don’t just take our word for it; we’d like you to hear it straight from one of our satisfied users, Jaran at Bright Buttons. He shares his firsthand experience with Kinder M8 and how our platform made a significant difference in supporting and streamlining his early childcare business. 

 

 

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