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Discover what you could do with a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant

These scenarios offer practical examples to show how early childhood education and care (ECEC) services might use a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant to innovate, adapt and explore new opportunities to deliver more flexible early learning options for their community.

The scenarios showcase various ways that services might apply for funding under the two distinct streams of the trial:

Stream 1 – Flexible service delivery

Supports experimentation with:

  • smaller-scale adjustments to a service’s operating model
  • shifts in current practices and trials of new strategies within existing frameworks
  • the establishment of new family day care services in rural and remote areas.

These scenarios show how the introduction of incremental changes can lead to significant improvements in service delivery, while still maintaining quality education and care for children.

Stream 2 – Blended service delivery

Supports collaboration between two distinct service types where:

  • one service is designated as the lead applicant, and they work together with a partner service to create a new approach
  • the partnership results in an innovative, larger-scale operating model that provides an enriched early childhood education experience for families.

These scenarios showcase the dynamic potential of partnerships and highlight how innovative collaboration can lead to new, comprehensive education and care options.

How to read these scenarios

Services should approach these scenarios with a good understanding of their unique service operating environment, including factors such as sector-specific requirements, market dynamics, and regulatory conditions.

The scenarios should be read in conjunction with the program guidelines.

Each scenario presents a flexibility solution that is appropriate for a particular service. You will need to consider which solution might suit your service and community best by closely analysing the variables – relevant ratios, spatial considerations, resource availability, and community need – to arrive at an idea of how you might effectively tailor an application for funding for your service.

Note that the budgets provided are illustrative rather than prescriptive. They are benchmarks to be adjusted according to the specific needs of individual services and circumstances.

Key features of a successful proposal

While each scenario presents a different solution that may be applicable to various types of ECEC service, the key features of any successful proposal for a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant are:

  • it identifies the service gaps and demonstrates the local community need
  • it offers a way to increase flexibility while maintaining quality care for children and supporting staff wellbeing
  • it is both realistic and sufficiently detailed, including:
    • clear objectives
    • an implementation plan
    • a budget supported by relevant information or quotes
    • information about any service approvals, waivers or notifications that may be required
    • a commitment to data collection
  • it demonstrates how the proposed activities go beyond existing activities, and it includes provision for the evaluation of program outcomes.

Stream 1 scenarios

Flexible care through casualised days

Community need

Families of children at Bright Stars Early Learning Centre include healthcare professionals, tradespeople and others who, because of their irregular shifts, have a need for more flexible education and care options. The service is aware of this because they hear it from the parents and carers enrolled at their service. They have also surveyed the local community and identified the unmet need.

The proposal

Bright Stars ELC plans to apply use Flexible Initiative Trial funding to implement a casualised day approach that will allow families to customise care hours to suit their changing schedules.

The plan

The team designs a plan to invest in rostering software, recruit and engage a new educator and administrative staff, provide training and development, and implement and promote the new approach to local families. The trial program offering will run for a 12-month period to ensure the offering is sustainable and fit for purpose.

The budget
Item Trial cost
Educator: 1 x full-time equivalent diploma educator per day (ongoing) $74,880
Admin: 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill (temporary) $20,280
Training: 0.5 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill for 1 week – staff cost cover on-floor (temporary cost) $780
Training: 1 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill for 1 week (temporary) $1,560
Software setup: 1 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill for 1 week (temporary) $1,560
Software setup: Membership $230 / month (ongoing) $2,760
Total cost $101,820
Grant application

The Bright Stars team submits a grant application outlining the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

Bright Stars ELC recruits and engages qualified educators and staff. They invest in state-of-the-art booking and rostering software and provide comprehensive training to ensure efficient management of flexible scheduling. The service utilises the additional educator as a ‘floater’ on the floor, allocated to maintain ratios and provide quality education and care where needed. The service also prioritises data collection, actively gathering feedback from families through surveys and personal conversations to understand their experiences.

Bright Stars promotes collaboration among staff to continuously refine the approach. Utilisation data guides resource allocation and scheduling optimisation, ensuring families’ needs are consistently met.

Outcomes

Parents experience a user-friendly interface and can book education and care according to their needs. The centre caters to families with irregular or casual work schedules and at the same time fosters an environment where children’s growth and learning thrive.

Extended hours of operation

Community need

Sunshine Valley Early Learning Centre is close to a hospital. Many of the service’s existing families have requested more adaptable hours of education and care to support their varying schedules.

The proposal

The Sunshine Valley team plans to use a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant to expand their operating hours and offer families tailored care sessions for their children.

The plan

The plan involves extending the opening hours of the service. To achieve this, funds from the subsidy will be dedicated to hiring staff for additional shifts. Funds will also be dedicated to training staff to ensure that they can integrate seamlessly and effectively into the extended hours rostering system and maintain consistent service quality.

This approach showcases the service's commitment to effectively using the Flexible Initiatives Trial to address its key priorities and better serve the community.

The budget
Item Trial cost
Staff: 2x full-time diploma educators for 3 hours per day (ongoing cost) $76,440
Admin: 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill (temporary cost) $20,280
Subsidy: 3 hours per day at 50% for 3 days (based on daily rate of $140/day), assuming 5% of total children utilising the extended hours (one-off cost) $6,128
Training: Upskilling of staff on existing rostering software - 0.5 of a full-time director as backfill for 1 week (temporary cost) $780
Rent: Increase in rent of $119 per week (ongoing cost) $6,188
Total cost $109,816
Grant application

The Sunshine Valley team submits a grant application with the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

With a focus on building their team of ECEC educators and administrators, Sunshine Valley ELC attracts new staff driven by a commitment to quality education and care and supporting diverse family needs.

To ensure families are aware of the new flexible options, they promote their extended hours through school newsletters, social media and word of mouth, including clear information about the tailored sessions and the benefits they offer.

They use ongoing data collection to record feedback, understand patterns, and demonstrate outcomes. Data-driven insights result in continuous evolution, helping to steer program enhancements and inform future requests for funding.

Outcomes

Sunshine Valley ELC's initiative addresses the community’s needs, creating a blueprint for adaptable education and care. With ongoing review and evaluation, they ensure evolving family needs are met.

Extended before and after-preschool care in a rural area

Community need

In a rural-remote setting where lengthy commutes are the norm, the pressing need for extended before and after preschool care was clear to Little Finders Community Preschool. The preschool surveyed its current families and found 5% of its population required extended hours care.

The proposal

Little Finders Community Preschool proposes to use a Flexible Initiatives Trial grant to offer before and after-preschool care with extended hours. The proposal will help ensure local parents have the support they need to manage work and family obligations as well as ensuring a smooth transition between preschool and home for children.

The plan

The preschool plans to hire additional educators specifically for extended hours, together with some new temporary staff to support with administration and training. They factor in all costs in the trial budget, including an increase in rental costs resulting from the extended hours use of the preschool facility.

The budget
Item Trial cost
Staff: 2x full-time diploma educators for 2 hours per day (hours of the program initiative – ongoing cost) $36,040
Admin: 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill (temporary cost) $20,280
Subsidy: 2 hours per day for 2 days (based on daily rate of $60/day), assuming 5% of total children utilising the extended hours (one-off cost) $360
Training: Upskilling of staff 0.5 of a full-time director as backfill for 1 week (temporary cost) $780
Rent: Increase in rent of $119 per week (ongoing cost) $6,188
Total cost $63,648
Grant application

The Little Finders team submits a grant application outlining the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

Little Finders is successful in recruiting two dedicated, professional educators to support extending their hours from 9am–3pm to 8am–4pm

Using their new software, the preschool captures data on utilisation rates, and other data, including sign in/sign out time to record the usage of the extended hours and evaluate participation. They also gather family feedback. This information allows Little Finders to adapt and refine their program, continually enhancing its impact.

Outcomes

Little Finders' proposal both accommodates parents' schedules and provides flexible care and education to children. By ensuring extended hours support both working parents and children's development, they create an environment where everyone thrives.

A new family day care service in a remote area

Community need

Located in a remote area, Happy Bugs Family Day Care identifies a need for quality accessible early childhood education and care, amid the compounding challenge of limited transportation options in the region.

The proposal

Happy Bugs proposes to implement a new family day care service, offering both quality care for local children and addressing the transport accessibility challenge.

The plan

The Happy Bugs team puts together a plan that includes as recruitment of diploma educators and administrative staff; an investment in training; hire of a minibus and driver for 3 hours a day; and some minor capital works to complete essential repairs, safety enhancements, equipment upgrades, and improve accessibility of the family day care residence for the purpose of the program.

The budget
Item Trial cost
Staff: 1 x full-time diploma educator for program establishment $15,080
Admin: 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a diploma educator for 4 weeks (temporary cost) $2,320
Training: Upskilling of new staff 0.5 of a full-time diploma educator for 4 weeks (temporary cost) $2,320
Minor capital works: One-time cost to cover minor building modifications and purchase educational equipment $20,000
Transport: Hire minibus + driver for 3 hours per day at $90 per hour (ongoing cost) $93,600
Transport: 1 x additional supervisor at 1 x full-time diploma educator for 3 hours per day (ongoing cost) $22,620
Total cost $155,940
Grant application

The Happy Bugs team submits a grant application outlining the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

Happy Bugs FDC is successful in recruiting an educator to work in a family day care setting. They put together a wraparound team that can offer transport, education and care for up to 4 preschool-aged children at a time, ensuring personalised attention and continuity of care.

The service actively engages with their community. They partner with low-SES and CALD families, embracing cultural sensitivities and relevant multilingual resources. They make the best use of IT and software to streamline their administration, so they can free up educators to focus on caring for and educating young children.

Crucially, the new Happy Bugs Family Day Care service collects feedback, records observations of children's progress, and fosters development. This two-way interaction guides further enhancements, ensuring the program remains rooted in community needs.

Outcomes

Happy Bugs bridges gaps and fosters children's growth in an accessible, home like environment.

Stream 2 scenarios

A partnership between a preschool and a family day care service

Community need

Demand for extended education and care options for families needing care beyond traditional hours is identified by Kidz Kraft Community Preschool and Bright Poppies Family Day Care in the local community through family surveys and community requests.

The proposal

The preschool and family day care service come together to offer an innovative solution under the Flexible Initiatives Trial: to transport children between the 2 services and deliver a blended education and care experience.

The plan

The plan includes recruiting new educators and administrative staff; hiring a minibus, a driver and a supervisor; undertaking some research and resolving any legal and regulatory requirements; an investment in training; and a subsidy component.

The budget
Item Cost
Staff: 1 x full-time diploma educator for 4 hours a day (ongoing cost) $107,120
Admin: 2 x 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a director per day as backfill (temporary cost) $40,560
Subsidy: 4 hrs/day for 2 days, assuming 5% of total children using the extended hours (one-off cost) $720
Training: Upskilling of staff – 1 x full-time equivalent of a director as backfill for 1 week (temporary cost) $4,680
Research / legal / regulations: One-time cost $15,000
Transport: Hire minibus + driver for 2 hours per day at $90 per hour (ongoing cost) $62,400
Transport: 1 x additional supervisor @ 1 x full-time diploma educator for 2 hours per day (ongoing cost) $22,880
Total cost $253,360
Grant application

The Kidz Kraft and Bright Poppies team submits a grant application with the above information. The application is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

The new partnership enhances operations and optimises the early education and care experience for children and families. Communication and collaboration are key to offering families choice and control in their ECEC experience.

The partner services work together to capture data about children's progress and feedback from families, to record the outcomes of the blended service model. This data-driven approach ensures continuous improvement and better decision-making.

Outcomes

The Kidz Kraft and Bright Poppies partnership efforts create an environment where extended hours of education and care are provided.

A partnership between a community preschool and a BASC service

Community need

Sunshine Grove Community Preschool and Beacon Kids Before and After School Care (BASC) have identified a growing demand for extended education and care services in their local community. Surveys and feedback from families reveal that many parents require a convenient and community focused solution for their children's extended hours care.

The proposal

The community preschool and the BASC service come together to propose an innovative solution – to offer wrap around, extended hours education and care for the preschool children, provided by the local BASC service. The proposal incorporates a plan to ‘transport’ the children to and from the preschool via ‘walking bus’, providing a secure and organised way for preschoolers to transition from the preschool facility to the BASC facility, which is across the road.

The plan

The plan for the proposed program includes recruiting new educators to ensure continuity of care; developing a schedule and route for transportation; collaborating with local authorities to ensure adherence to safety and transportation regulations; delivery of training programs for staff focused on safety, supervision and effective communication; the procurement of age-appropriate equipment and furniture; and investment in communication tools to facilitate effective communication between families and services.

The budget
Item Cost
Staff: 1 x full-time early childhood teacher for 5 hours per day (split shift, program delivery) $48,100
Staff: 1 x full-time diploma educator for 5 hours per day (split shift, program delivery) (ongoing cost) $37,700
Admin: 1 x 0.25 x full-time equivalent of a director per day as backfill (temporary cost) $20,280
Training: Staff training programs focused on safety and child supervision (one-time cost) $2,000
Software setup: Implementation of a communication system (one time cost) $5,000
Resources: Age-appropriate equipment and furniture (one time cost) $10,000
Research / legal / regulations: One-time cost $15,000
Total cost $138,080
Grant application

The Sunshine Grove and Beacon Kids team submits a grant application with the above information. The applicationn is assessed and is successful. They sign a funding agreement.

Implementation

Sunshine Grove Community Preschool and Beacon Kids BASC collaborate effectively to implement a new program that enhances the education and care experience with wraparound, extended hours care, educators dedicated to the children participating in the program, and a secure and organised transition between the two facilities – providing families with a reliable and safe education and care solution.

The partner services establish clear communication channels, collect feedback from parents and children, and continually refine the program to meet the evolving needs of the community.

Outcomes

The result is an enhanced education and care experience. Children benefit from the convenience and safety of the program, and families gain access to extended hours education and care services that offer choice, control and continuity in their education and care arrangements.

Find out more about how to apply

Contact

Early Childhood Education Information and Enquiries team
1800 619 113
ecec.funding@det.nsw.edu.au

Category:

  • Early childhood education

Business Unit:

  • Early Childhood Outcomes
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