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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE ENTERING A SCHOOL READINESS FUNDING PLAN INTO KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (KIMS)

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for completing a School Readiness Funding (SRF) Annual Plan in Kindergarten Information Management System (KIMS) and submitting it for approval.

For assistance on the planning process please refer to the School Readiness Funding page on the Department’s website.

Overview process for entering an SRF Annual Plan in KIMS 1. Once the Terms & Conditions have been signed, you will be able to

access the School Readiness Funding plan in KIMS 2. Log into the current KIMS and click on the School Readiness Funding

button (the link to the system can be found on this webpage: Kindergarten Information Management System)

3. Go to the Plan tab 4. Select and open the plan for the relevant Service. Note: Service Providers

will have access to many plans, Services will only have access to one plan 5. Enter your Contact Details 6. Enter the collected data (information) 7. Enter the analysis against the provided data levels 8. Select one, two, or all of the identified Priorities as per the needs of your

service 9. Enter Menu Items to address the needs and priorities of the service. Note:

Only estimated costs are required. Backfill hours or total Backfill Cost estimates can be allocated per menu item, these are optional. Backfill Costs can be entered without Backfill hours

10. If provided to your service, enter Allied Health sessions. Note: All available

sessions must be allocated. Backfill hours and/or costs can be added, these will be included in the total Estimated Expenditure

11. If applicable, enter Flexible Funding free text items. Note: Only services with greater than or equal to $5,000 may use up to 25 per cent of the funding towards Flexible Funding items

12. Once all items have been entered, and the Remaining Funding for Items show $0 and the Remaining DET Allied Health Sessions show 0 (zero), the plan can be submitted to the Service Provider Approver

13. Review the plan using the View Plan as PDF button at the top right of the screen. Note: This PDF can be saved or printed for sharing

14. Submit the plan for approval to your Service Provider Approver. Note: All services and providers names, details and monetary values in

KIMS screens in this guide are not real and are for example use only.

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System Steps for entering a School Readiness Funding Annual Plan in Kindergarten Information Management System PLAN DETAILS

Notes: The Plan Details are always displayed at the top of every page and provide a breakdown of the service’s School Readiness Funding and the plan status. The Plan Details are auto populated by the system and automatically update as the plan is completed. Refer to this top section as you complete the plan to determine how much funding on items and how many allied health sessions (where relevant) you have allocated and how much you have remaining.

Information displayed in this section – on the left-hand side of the screen: 1. Name: The name of the plan. 2. SRF Year: The year the plan will be implemented. 3. Total School Readiness Funding (including DET Allied Health): The Total School

Readiness Funding allocated to the kindergarten service. This comprises funding for Menu Items/Flexible Funding plus DET Allied Health (if applicable).

4. Total Funding for Items: The amount allocated for expenditure on Menu Items and Flexible Funding.

5. Estimated Expenditure for Items: This field will automatically increase as you add menu item costs, backfill costs and flexible funding costs. The objective to ensure this f ield shows the same dollar value as the Total Funding for Items prior to submitting for approval.

6. Remaining Funding for Items: The remaining funding available for Menu Items and Flexible Funding. This field will automatically decrease as you complete the plan. The objective is to ensure that this field shows a $0 value at the end, prior to submitting for approval.

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Information displayed in this section – on the right-hand side of the screen: 7. Service Name: The name of the kindergarten.

8. Status: The current status of the plan (see below for status meaning).

9. Total DET Allied Health Sessions: The number of Allied Health sessions allocated to the service.

10. Estimated DET Allied Health Sessions Accessed: This field will automatically increase as you add Allied Health sessions in the plan. The objective to ensure this field shows the same number of sessions as the Total DET Allied Health Sessions prior to submitting for approval.

11. Remaining DET Allied Health Sessions: This f ield will automatically decrease as you add Allied Health sessions in the plan. The objective to ensure this field shows a value of 0 (zero) prior to submitting for approval.

Status • Not Started • In Progress • With Approved Provider • Requires Amendment • Submitted to DET • Approved – Active

Meaning • Service User has not started completing the plan. • Service User has started completing the plan. • Service User has completed the plan and submitted it for Service Provider approval. • The plan has been sent back to the Service User for amendment by the Service Provider Approver or DET. • The plan has been submitted to DET for approval by the Service Provider Approver and is now read-only. • The plan has been approved by DET.

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Information displayed in this section – on the top right-hand side of the screen:

12. View Plan as PDF: View or download the plan as a printable PDF. 13. Submit Plan for Approval: Submits the plan to Service Provider Approver.

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CONTACT DETAILS

1. Enter the name of the primary

contact at the service. 2. Enter the position held by the

contact person at the service. 3. Enter the phone number for the

contact person. 4. Enter the email address of the

contact person. 5. When all f ields are complete, click

Update. 6. The Service Provider Approver is

the person you will be submitting the plan to for approval. These f ields are pre-populated by the system. If the name of the Service Provider Approver is incorrect, contact the Health and Early Learning Practitioners (HELP) Help Desk on 1800 614 810 or email: help.helpdesk@education.vic.gov.au

Notes: The Primary Contact is the main person completing the plan and the person the Department can contact about the plan. The email address must be for a registered KIMS user. System generated email notifications will be sent to this email address. The Contact Name, Position, Contact Number and Email Address fields are all mandatory. In some cases, the Primary Contact and the Service Provider Approver can be the same person.

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INTRODUCTION TAB

The Introduction tab provides an overview of the plan, links to contacts to help you complete the plan and the steps to complete the plan. 1. Read the information on this tab prior to starting the plan.

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COLLECT INFORMATION TAB

1. Read the School Readiness Funding: Annual planning guide for 2021 on this

webpage before starting this section. 2. Click New Data Source to add findings from each of the relevant data

sources.

3. Click the arrow next to Data Source and select a Data Source from the list: • Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) • Municipal Early Years Plan • Current and Past Children observations • Discussions with schools • Discussion with other EY Professionals • Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) • Service Improvement Plan (SIP) • Assessment and rating • Educator professional learning plans • VEYLDF practice principles • LGA Kindergarten Participation Information • Other Note. Use Other if your data source is not listed above.

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4. In the Findings from Data f ield, enter text that summarises the key findings from the data source you selected. Note: You can copy and paste text from another document e.g. a Word document

5. Use the square icon with two diagonal lines, circled in red, to expand this screen. 6. Click Next to save the record.

Click Next again to move back to this screen and add more data sources.

7. Click New Data Source to add each new data source. 8. Click the Edit or Delete button to update or delete the record. 9. The number of Data Sources added will show here within the brackets.

Note: You cannot add the same Data Source twice, but you can include more than one finding in the Findings from Data f ield.

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QUESTION & ANALYSE TAB

1. Read the guidance information on this page and the School Readiness Funding Annual Planning Guide before starting this section. 2. Click New Level to add each analysis item.

3. Click the arrow to select a Level from the list:

• Community/Child Level

• Service Level

• Educator Level.

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4. In the Issues and needs f ield, enter the analysis for that level into this f ield (Note: You can copy and paste text into this field).

5. Use the square icon with two diagonal lines, circled in red, to expand this screen.

6. Click Next to save the record. Click Next again to move back to this screen.

7. Click New Level to add each level of analysis. 8. Click the Edit or Delete button to update or delete the record. 9. The number of records added will show here within the brackets.

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IDENTIFY PRIORITIES TAB 1. Tick one or more Priorities as per the priorities identified through your data and analysis. 2. Click Save Priority to save.

Notes: • Priorities selected and saved will determine which Menu Items are displayed in the next section.

• You must select at least one Menu Item (or Allied Health item) for the Priority Area/s you have chosen for your plan. • If you want to remove/uncheck a Priority Area after you have selected Menu Items, Allied Health sessions or Flexible Funding items for that Priority Area,

you must first delete the items that are associated with that Priority Area before you can untick it in this list.

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SELECT MENU ITEMS TAB 1. Read the guidance information on this page and the School Readiness Funding: Annual planning guide for 2021 on this webpage before starting this section

The full list of Menu Items is available on the webpage here.

2. Click New Menu Item.

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3. Select the Priority Area that is related to the Menu Item you are adding. The Priority Areas for selection are based on the Priority Areas you saved in the previous section.

4. Select a Menu Item from the list. The list is filtered based on the Priority Area you selected in step 3.

5. Enter the Estimated Item Cost for the selected Menu Item. The system will automatically add this cost to your Estimated Expenditure for Items (at the top) of

the screen). Do not include any backfill cost here. 6. Select the Term(s) under the Timeline field that the Menu Item will be delivered/implemented in.

Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select multiple Terms. If you are a long service day care, select the approximate Term.

7. Optional - Enter the Estimated Backfill Hours for this item if applicable. 8. Optional - Enter the Estimated Backfill Cost for this item if applicable (this is the total backfill cost,

not the backfill cost per hour). You do not have to enter Backfill Hours. Backfill Costs can be entered without Backfill hours. The system will automatically add Backfill Cost to your Estimated Expenditure for Items (at the top

of the screen). 9. Enter the Goal for this Year for the implementation and outcome of this Menu Item. 10. Enter the Indicator and Measure of Success for this Menu Item. 11. Enter Details/Comments. This includes details of any pooled funding (please include the phrase

“pooled funding” in your entry if relevant), or where a coaching menu item has been selected, (please include name of coaching provider and details such as delivery approach).

12. Click Next to save the record.

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13. Use the Edit or Delete button to update or delete a record. 14. Click New Menu Item to continue adding Menu Items. 15. The number of added items is shown in brackets. 16. The Total Item Cost is calculated automatically each time you add or update the cost of a Menu item and adds both the Estimated Item Cost and Estimated

Backfill Cost.

Notes: • The Total Item Cost is the total of all amounts in the Estimated Item Costs column plus Estimated Backfill costs.

• The Remaining Funding for Items equals Total Funding for Items less Total Estimated Item Cost. If you exceed your allocated total funding for Items, you will not be able to submit the plan.

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PLAN ALLIED HEALTH TAB

Only complete this section if your service has been allocated DET Allied Health Sessions.

1. Read the guidance information on this page, and the School Readiness Funding: Annual planning guide for 2021 on this webpage before starting this section.

2. Click New Allied Health to start the allocation of sessions.

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3. Select the Priority Area that is related to the Allied Health item you are adding.

The Priority Areas are displayed based on the Priority Areas you selected previously.

4. Enter the number of Estimated Sessions for the Allied Health item. The system will automatically subtract this number from the Total DET Allied Health Sessions (see Plan Details section).

5. Select a Preferred Allied Health Discipline from the list:

• Speech Pathology

• Occupational Therapy

• Psychology

• Undecided. 6. In the Timeline field, select the Term(s) the Allied Health sessions will be

delivered/implemented. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select multiple Terms.

7. Enter the Estimated Backfill Hours for the sessions if applicable. This will allow time for the main educator to work with the Therapist.

8. Enter the Estimated Backfill Cost for this item if applicable (this is the total backfill cost, not the backfill cost per hour). The Backfill Cost will automatically be subtracted from your Total Funding for Items.

9. Enter the Goal for this Year for the Allied Health item. 10. Enter the Indicator and Measure of Success for the Allied Health item. 11. Optional - enter Details/Comments. 12. Click Next to save the record.

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13. Use the Edit or Delete button to update or delete a record. 14. Click New Allied Health to continue adding sessions. 15. The number of records added is shown in brackets. 16. The number of Total DET Allied Health sessions is calculated automatically and adds the number of estimated sessions in each record.

Notes: • A warning message displays when there are unallocated Allied Health sessions (i.e. you have not used all your allocated sessions). • Each time you add or update the number of sessions of an Allied Health record, the Total DET Allied Health Sessions and Remaining DET Allied

Health Sessions will update in the Plan Details section.

• Any Backfill Costs entered here will be included in the Estimated Expenditure for Items, at the top of the screen.

• The Total DET Allied Health Sessions is the total of all amounts in the Estimated Sessions column.

• The Remaining DET Allied Health Sessions = Allocated DET Allied Health Sessions – Total Estimated Sessions.

• If you exceed your allocated DET Allied Health Sessions, you will not be able to proceed until you reduce the number of sessions for an item.

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FLEXIBLE FUNDING ITEMS

Only complete this section if your service meets the requirements for Flexible Funding. Services that wish to spend some of their funding flexibly should first discuss their intentions with their Early Childhood Improvement Branch.

1. Read the guidance information on this page and the School Readiness Funding: Annual planning guide for 2021 on this webpage before starting this section.

2. Click New Flexible Funding.

Notes: • Instructions for how to enter a Local Priority is below. • Instruction on how to enter planning and implementation costs (EYMs only) is at the end of this section.

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3. Select the Priority Area for the Flexible Funding Item you are adding.

Priority Areas available for selection are based on the Priority Areas you saved in the previous Identified Priorities section. If this is a Local Priority, chose the SRF Priority Area that it aligns with the closest.

4. Enter a Flexible Funding item – this is a f ree text field. If it is a Local Priority, you must begin the free text with the words ‘Local Priority’ and then add the item name.

5. Enter the Estimated Item Cost for the Flexible Funding item. The system will automatically add this cost to your Estimated Expenditure for Items (at the top of the screen).

6. In the Timeline f ield, select the Term(s) the item will be delivered/implemented in. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard to select multiple Terms.

7. Optional - Enter the Estimated Backfill Hours for this item if applicable. 8. Optional - Enter the Estimated Backfill Cost for this item if applicable (this is the total backfill

cost, not the backfill cost per hour). The system will automatically add this cost to your Estimated Expenditure for Items (at the top of the screen).

9. Enter the Goal for this Year for the Flexible Funding item. 10. Enter the Indicator and Measure of Success for the Flexible Funding item. 11. Enter Details/Comments. 12. Click Next to save the record.

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13. Use the Edit or Delete button to update or delete a record. 14. Click New Flexible Funding to continue adding sessions. 15. The number of records is shown in brackets. 16. The Total Item Cost is calculated automatically and adds the costs of the Flexible Funding Items. 17. The Potential Remaining Flexible Funding for Items calculates automatically and shows remaining funds to be allocated on this plan either within Menu

Items or Flexible Funding.

Notes:

• Each time you add or update the cost of a Flexible Funding item, the Total Item Cost and Potential Remaining Flexible Funding for Items will automatically update in this screen.

• The Potential Remaining Flexible Funding for Items is calculated by Total Funding for Items less Total Estimated Item Costs. • If you exceed your allocated total funding for items, you will not be able to proceed until you reduce the cost for an item(s).

Instructions for entering planning and implementation costs under a Flexible Funding Item for EYMs only:

1. Priority Area – select one that has been identified as a priority for the service. 2. Item f ield - free text must be entered as ‘EYM planning and implementation’ 3. Estimated Item cost field - can enter up to five per cent of total funding maximum (capped at $10,000 per service) as part of an EYM’s 25 per cent flexible

funding allocation. 4. Goal f ield - enter ‘N/A’. 5. Indicator and Measure of success field - enter ‘N/A’.

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6. Details/Comments field - include information on how the funding is intended to be used for planning and implementation (e.g. breakdown of days, overview of tasks).

CHECKLIST BEFORE SUBMITTING FOR APPROVAL

☐ Contact Details section complete, and the Service Provider Approver correct.

☐ Collect Information section has relevant data sources and findings entered.

☐ Question & Analyse section identifies the issues and needs at the levels selected.

☐ Each selected Priority Area has an associated Menu Item, Allied Health item and/or Flexible Funding item.

☐ The Remaining Funding for Items in the plan details is ‘$0.00’.

☐ The Remaining DET Allied Health Sessions in the plan details is ‘0’.

☐ Review the plan using the view PDF feature (instructions on following page).

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VIEW PLAN AS PDF

1. Click View Plan as PDF to view the

whole plan in a document format. This can then be saved to your computer or printed.

2. Click the Print icon to print the plan. 3. Click the Save icon to open a new window to select a location to

save the plan to. You can then email the plan to a colleague or manager for review.

4. Once you have completed these steps, close the new tab that has opened with the X.

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SUBMIT PLAN TO SERVICE PROVIDER APPROVER

5. Click Submit Plan For Approval.

Notes: • Plan is now in ‘read-only’ mode for the Service User, only the Service Provider Approver can update it. • Alternatively, the plan can be returned to the service for updates, an automated email will let the service know that the plan has been returned. • If the Service Provider Approver does make changes, they will need to inform the service as an automated email will not be sent.

© State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training) 2020. Except where otherwise noted, material in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. Please check the full copyright notice.