VEYLDF Alignment
Item uses these practice principles: Reflective practice, Partnerships with families, High expectations for every child, Respectful relationships and responsive engagement, Equity and diversity, Assessment for learning and development, Integrated teaching and learning approaches, Partnerships with professionals.
Item responds to these sub-outcomes: Children become strong in their social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.
Description
The Department of Education and Training has pre-purchased allied health support, including occupational therapy, from local providers across Victoria. Providers for 2023 (and local government areas) are:
Mallee (Shires of Buloke and Gannawarra, Cities of Mildura and Swan Hill): Sunraysia Community Health Services
Wimmera South West (City of Horsham, Shires of Hindmarsh, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera, and Yarriambiack): Grampians Health
Wimmera South West (City of Warrnambool, Shire of Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne and Southern Grampians): South West Health Care
Southern Melbourne (Cities of Casey and Greater Dandenong, Shire of Cardinia): Monash Health
Brimbank Melton (Cities of Brimbank and Melton): IPC Health
Outer Gippsland (Wellington Shire) - to be determined
Outer Gippsland (Shire of East Gippsland): Gippsland Lakes Community Health
Inner Gippsland (City of Latrobe, Shires of Bass Coast, Baw Baw and South Gippsland): Latrobe Community Health Service
Goulburn (City of Greater Shepparton, Shires of Mitchell Moira, Murrindindi and Strathbogie): Merri Health
Hume (City of Hume): DPV Health
Moreland (City of Merri Bek): Merri Health
Central Highlands (City of Ballarat, Shires of Ararat, Golden Plains, Hepburn, Moorabool and Pyrenees): Ballarat Community Health
Loddon Campaspe (City of Greater Bendigo, Shires of Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, and Mount Alexander): Sunbury Cobaw Community Health (Consortia)
Ovens Murray (Cities of Benalla, Wangaratta and Wodonga, Shires of Alpine, Indigo, Mansfield, Towong): Merri Health
Barwon (City of Greater Geelong, Shires of Colac Otway, Surf Coast, Borough of Queenscliffe): Barwon Health
Western Melbourne (Cities of Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Wyndham): Cohealth
North East Melbourne (Cities of Banyule, Darebin and Yarra, Shire of Nilumbik): Banyule Community Health
North East Melbourne (City of Whittlesea): DPV Health
- Bayside Peninsula (Cities of Bayside, Glen Eira, Kingston, Port Phillip and Stonnington): Star Health Group
- Bayside Peninsula (City of Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Shire): Peninsula Health
Occupational therapists, using an approach that builds on existing skills and knowledge, work with educators and parents/carers through provision of group training, case consultation, and other discipline-specific services to enhance children's social and emotional self-regulation, physical development and sensory processing.
The details of this support, including scheduling, is negotiated between allied health providers and services.
Detailed Costs
A portion of a service's school readiness funding may have been allocated to provide this allied health support. The allocation will cover a particular level of service, depending on the service's total school readiness funding allocation.
Services with a total funding allocation below $5000 will not have access to pre-purchased allied health services, but can use their school readiness funding to purchase these services independently.
Implementation Considerations
Target population: educators, children, parents/carers.
Program/practice descriptions and details: occupational therapists provide support to
educators that builds on existing skills and
knowledge, including coaching and modelling, in order to enhance
their confidence in supporting children's social and emotional self-regulation, physical development and sensory processing.
Program adaptability: services should consider, in consultation with their occupational therapist, the needs of staff and children, and how best they may be supported.
Staffing: services should consider the cost of backfill if educators are required to engage in the case consultation and training elements of this program. Occupational therapists must be registered with AHPRA and work in accordance with the VEYLDF.
Priority Area
Wellbeing (social and emotional), Access and inclusion
Strength of Evidence
Professional services