The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), is a programme of supports designed to ensure that children with disabilities can access and meaningfully participate in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) pre-school programme.
75% of expenditure is on Level 1 and Level 7 with the remaining expenditure on training, equipment, communications and advisory supports. Level 1 is provision of funding for training under the LINC training programme and employment of Inclusion Co-Ordinator (INCO) positions in ECCE sessions. Level 7 is funding for additional assistance in the preschool room to ensure a child’s participation in the ECCE programme. AIM provides financial support to the pre-school provider where needed, which can be used either to reduce the adult to child ratio in the pre-school room or to buy in additional assistance. Level 7 assistance is a shared resource for the preschool setting.
The allocations and drawdowns for the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) are set out in the table below.
|
|
|
Year
|
Allocated
|
Draw down
|
2020
|
43,000,000
|
31,900,000
|
2021
|
48,330,500
|
31,250,781
|
2022
|
45,550,955
|
n/a
|
The number of applications received for the 2020/21 programme call was significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in 40% fewer applications during the 2020/21 call compared to the 2019/20 call. Another contributing factor were the large number of services opting to apply for the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) as an alternative to AIM funding. As a result there was an underspend in both 2020 and 2021.