English and childminding funding

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What is English and childminding funding?

Community Hubs Australia (CHA) receives funding from the Federal Government for hubs to run English classes, and where needed, childminding to support English classes. The purpose is to give more people in the community the chance to access English classes tailored to their needs, by removing some of the barriers that prevent them from accessing it in the community, such as location and eligibility requirements. 

How do I access English and childminding funding?

For schools that choose to receive it, this funding is part of the school’s contract with CHA.

A set amount of English and childminding funding is provided to schools every six months, providing certainty about the funding available ahead of time, and flexibility to respond to changes throughout the term.
Each school is responsible for using the funding as needed to pay their English and/or childminding providers and keeping records of how the funding was spent. It is best practice to collect quotes for the expected cost and scope of work to be conducted, and check invoices against both the quotes and what was delivered.

At the end of each six-month period, the school’s business manager (or other school leadership) will acquit the funds, as they do for hub funding. CHA may ask your school to share English and / or childminding invoices to ensure funding has been spent in line with the funding requirements.

Funding requirements

It is important that English and childminding funding is used for its approved purpose, and in line with the funding requirements. This table summarises what English and childminding funding can and cannot be used for. For more information, see FAQS. <link to FAQs>

CAN be used

✔ To pay an English teacher to run English classes for adults in the hub. This includes, within reason, preparation and administration time. As a guide, this may be up to 30 minutes preparation time per 1 hour of class time.

✔ To pay a childminder to look after the children of hub participants attending an English class in the hub. This includes the setting up, and packing away, of toys and books for the childminding activity. This can be up to 30 minutes, before and after the English class in the hub.

CANNOT be used

✖ For hub activities that are conducted in English, but are not primarily English classes, (eg. sewing, cooking, formal training).

✖ To support English activity in the hub (e.g. catering, teaching materials, printing) or for resourcing to support non-English activity.

✖ To pay for an interpreter to support the English class.

✖ To run literacy classes for those with English as a first language.

✖ To pay the hub leader to follow up with families and/or support the English provider with preparation or delivery.

✖ To pay a childminder to perform non-childminding activities in the hub or the school.

✖ To pay a childminder to look after the English facilitator’s child only.

✖ To pay for childcare responsibilities.

English

English must be free of charge to participants and open to anyone. If your English language provider has eligibility requirements that will exclude some participants, you should think about how they can access English classes, or possibly consider a different English provider – hubs are for everyone. 

Please note there is no expectation that hubs run English classes every term. This depends on community need and priorities of the hub.

The content and format of the classes can be tailored to suit the needs of the community, so classes may be, for example:  

  • Beginner, intermediate or advanced English
  • English for citizenship 
  • English for jobs / skills training to a vocational pathway 
  • English for school readiness with parent and child.  

Regardless of how the English is delivered, the provider must be suitably qualified or hold relevant skills to teach English to adults. For example: 

  • When running a conversational English class, at the very minimum, this needs to be someone with relevant skills and ability to facilitate the activity.  For example, this would be someone with experience in teaching adult learners.
  • When running a formal English program across the term (e.g. Certificate III in English), this needs to be someone who holds an adult English teaching qualification such as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA).

A cooking or sewing instructor is not an English teacher. A sewing class may provide the opportunity to practise English, however this is not an English class and is not eligible for CHA funding.  

As part of planning English classes for your hub, keep in mind that there may be an opportunity for you to work with providers in your local area that are already funded from other sources. If your English class is already funded, you will not need to use this funding to pay the English teacher.

 

Childminding

Childminding may be offered to English class participants with pre-school aged children. The funding must be used for childminding to support an English activity only and provided onsite where English is being delivered. Other activities run in your hub that require childminding are not supported by this funding.

A childcare worker holds full responsibility of the children they look after. Childminding funding can be used to pay for childminding, not childcare.
Childminders do not require special qualifications like childcare workers. A childminder looks after the children of hub participants, however the parent remains responsible for the child’s behaviour, safety and wellbeing. Childminding may be offered by a childminding service provider or an individual with an ABN. Many hubs employ a hub participant as a childminder as a way of supporting them with paid employment. For many, it’s their first job in Australia.

Childminding funding CAN be used

✔ To pay a childminder to look after the children of hub participants attending an English class in the hub. This includes the setting up, and packing away, of toys and books for the childminding activity. This can be up to 30 minutes, before and after the English class in the hub.

Childminding funding CANNOT be used

✖To pay a childminder to perform non-childminding activities in the hub or the school.

✖To pay a childminder to look after the English facilitator’s child only.

✖To pay a childminder to look after the children of hub participants attending a non-English activity.

✖To pay for childcare responsibilities.

Reporting requirements

As part of the funding requirements, the Department of Home Affairs asks that we collect visa and demographic information for each participant once, and apply a measure of English progress for each regular participant once every six months and submit to CHA.

1. Visa category form

Collect the visa category, demographics and year of arrival for all participants in a CHA-funded English class using the form below. If you choose to print the form for participants to complete by hand, please enter the information via Microsoft Forms.

Please note:
• the form only needs to be completed once for each new participant. Previous participants will not need to complete this form again.
• the data from these forms is anonymous and all reports will be aggregated, which means that no individual can be identified.

2. Measure of English progress form

Your English teacher is required to demonstrate the progress made by participants in the English program. If they already have a tool to measure English progress, they can continue to use it, and you can submit these progress forms to CHA via email.

If your English teacher does not have a measure of English progress in place, please complete measure of English progress form below. You can print the form for participants to complete, then enter the information via Microsoft Forms link.

Please note:

  • This form must be completed for each participant who regularly participates in the English program i.e. attends three or more sessions.
  • The data from these forms is anonymous and all reports will be aggregated, which means that no individual can be identified.
  • This form should be submitted to CHA by the end of each funding period i.e. by the end of Term 2 and the end of Term 4.
Measure of English progress form
Visa category form

Download Measure of English progress form – PDF

Download Visa category form – PDF

Hub leader responsibilities

Work with providers: Continue to work with the English teachers and childminders – as you do with all providers – to ensure English classes are accessible and meeting the needs of participants.

Work within budget: When organising English teachers and childminders, check with your business manager about available funding.

Work with your school: Continue to communicate with school leadership about your plans for English classes and any changes during the term, and get approval for quotes. It is the responsibility of the school to communicate with providers about any relevant policies and procedures for working on school grounds.

Record activity on Hub Portal: Continue to keep records of English classes and attendances in Hub Portal, as you do for all hub activities. To help us keep track of which classes use this funding, when you enter English classes into Hub Portal, please be sure to select “CHA English and childminding funding” as a partner.

Reporting requirements: As part of the reporting requirements of this funding, you are also responsible for collecting and sharing with CHA the following forms:

  • Visa category, demographics and year of arrival for all English class participants (only once for each participant)
  • Measure of English progress for all English class participants (once per six-month period for each participant)

Information about how to collect and report this information can be found here. Note that we do not collect identifying information (such as individual names) and the data from these forms will be aggregated, which means that no individual can be identified.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much English and childminding funding does my hub have?

Each school (unless they have chosen not to receive it) will receive a set amount of English and childminding funding on 31 July and 31 January each year. For most schools this will be $8,000 ex-GST. For schools that have historically required a lower amount of English and childminding funding, the CHA team has worked with those schools to provide a smaller amount based on the hub’s needs.

Do I need to submit a funding application?

No, you will have a set amount of funding provided on 31 July and 31 January each year, unless you opt out of receiving English and childminding funding. You can use the funding to pay English teachers and/or childminders supporting English classes.

If my school opted out of receiving English and childminding funding, can we opt back in?

Yes, your school can apply to opt back in. Approval will only be granted if you can demonstrate a need and if we have funds available.

Can I request additional English and childminding funding?

Yes, but please note approval will only be granted if you can demonstrate a need and if we have funds available.

To opt in for funding, or request additional funding please submit your request by email to Hiranthi Perera, Chief Operating Officer at hiranthiperera@communityhubs.org.au, including how much funding you require and for what purpose. This request must be authorised by the school Principal, and if approved, will require a variation to the school’s hub contract.

If we don’t use all the funding in a six-month period, can we use it in the next period?

Yes. When planning English classes, confirm with your business manager how much English and childminding funding you have available.

Do the classes have to be free for participants?

Yes. English must be free of charge to participants and open to learners of any level or background. If your English language provider has eligibility requirements that will exclude some participants, you should think about how they can access English classes, or possibly consider a different English provider – hubs are for everyone.

Can I use funding to cover English class preparation time?

Preparation and administration time for English facilitators will be covered, however it must be reasonable. As a guide, this may be up to 30 minutes preparation time per 1 hour of class time.  

Can the funding be used for English classes with a specific focus, like English for citizenship or English for school readiness?

Yes, English classes that are tailored to the needs of participants are a great idea.

Can the funding be used to pay for resources, excursion entry fees, travel, catering, translation etc. to support an English class?

No. To understand what the funding can and cannot be used for, click here.

Can the funding be used for other activities where the participants speak English (eg. sewing or cooking classes)?

No. Learning and practising English must be the primary purpose of the class. To understand what the funding can and cannot be used for, see <link to funding requirements>

My hub’s English class is funded from another source – is that okay?

Of course! If your English class is already funded, you will not need to use this funding to pay the English teacher.

Can the funding be used for childminding to support other activities?

No. 

Can I use the funding to pay a childminder to support an English class not funded by CHA?

Yes, if the childminding is supporting an English class, not another activity. If you used the funding to pay the childminder but not the English teacher, you still need to complete the measure of English progress and visa category for participants in your English class.

Can I use the funding to pay for a childminder to look after the English facilitator’s child?

The funding is to be used for a childminder to look after the children of hub participants’ attending the English class. It is fine for the childminder to look after the English facilitator’s child as well, but only if they are also looking after children of hub participants attending the English class. Childminding funding cannot be used for a childminder to look after the English facilitator’s child only.

My English class is two hours in duration and my childminder needs to be paid for three hours (as a minimum requirement). Can I use the childminding funding to pay the facilitator to do other non-childminding tasks in the hub or school for the extra hour?

No. Funding can only be used to pay the childminder for the hours they are childminding which includes the setting up, and putting way, of toys and books. Payment for non-childminding activities is the responsibility of the school.

Do we need to gather information about attendance and participants?

Yes, this funding from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has reporting requirements that must be met. Hub leaders must:

  • record in Hub Portal how many adults and children attend each session
  • ask new participants to complete a visa category form and
  • ask regular participants to complete a measure of English progress form once each funding period.

If these requirements are not met, CHA may cease providing English and childminding funding to your school.

Do I need to collect quotes for English program costs from my providers?

This is good practice for any provider delivering a service in your hub to provide a quote for the cost of the program each term. We encourage you to compare the invoices you receive at the end of each term with the quote and question any discrepancies.

Do I need to submit invoices from providers to CHA?

No, the school will review and pay the invoices from providers. While you do not need to submit invoices to CHA at the end of each term, we may request to see the invoices as part of our internal checks.

What should I do if I don’t have enough funding to pay my English teacher and/or childminder?

You need to work with the funding available to you. If the costs of running English classes increase, you might decide to change the length and/or frequency of classes, or negotiate a lower rate with your providers, or look for another provider.  In some cases, the school may decide to top up the funding provided by CHA.

I have not arranged English classes before, how do I get started?

If your hub is new or this is the first time you are planning to run English classes, please talk to your support coordinator and other hub leaders for ideas about how to get started.

Do English teachers need to have an English teaching qualification?

For a formal English class (e.g. Certificate III in English), the English facilitator should be suitably qualified i.e. hold an adult English teaching qualification such as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), or a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). For an informal class, for example, conversational English, the facilitator needs to have relevant skills and experience, for example, experience in teaching adult learners. It is up to each school to decide which providers they work with.

Do childminders need to have a childcare qualification? How many children can they look after?

Childminding funding can be used to pay for childminding, not childcare. Childminders do not require special qualifications or child to worker ratios like childcare workers, who have full responsibility of the children they look after. A childminder looks after the children of hub participants and should be in the same building as the parent who remains responsible for the child’s behaviour, safety and wellbeing. Childminding may be offered by a childminding service provider or an individual with an ABN.  Many hubs employ a hub participant as a childminder as a way of supporting them with paid employment. For many, it’s their first job in Australia.

Does the school have to employ the English teacher or childminder?

That is not a requirement of the funding. Every school is different and has its own processes for working with providers. We recommend you follow the same process you do for other non-school providers who are paid to deliver services in the school.

What is the usual rate of pay for an English teacher or childminder?

Hourly rates vary widely between providers. It is up to each school to decide which providers they work with and agree together on the cost for services provided.

Do I have a responsibility to screen all childminders?

You should continue to follow your usual processes for screening childminders and other people on school premises that work with children.

Do I need to request lesson plans from English providers?

This is good practice to ensure the English classes are being prepared and delivered by a teacher with suitable skills and experience, and that the primary focus is English.

If the plans for English classes change during the term (for example, there is a change in the English teacher/childminder, or we need to add another class or change the number of weeks) do we need to notify CHA?

No, the school has the autonomy to decide how to use the funding provided and to change plans as needed (provided it is within the guidelines) without having to notify CHA. You should discuss any changes with your provider and document what you have agreed to. Be sure to check the invoices at the end of term to make sure they are correct.

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