We provide Bicultural Inclusion Support Services (BISS) in Western Australia and the Northern Territory on behalf of CHILD Australia and its Professional Support Coordinators (PSC).

BISS is a time-limited support and is provided by off-site consultants. This support can be provided when a child from Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse or humanitarian refugee background is enrolled at the child care service, or soon after the child has started attending the early care and education setting.

Access to BISS is provided to eligible child care services in Western Australia and the Northern Territory free of charge.

We have developed a guide to BISS services and support strategies. Logging into our resource page provides access to free downloads such as a personalised BISS Guide, bilingual, translated and information materials.

Support available to eligible child care services within the program are identified through the needs analysis conducted by a Diversity Consultant and may include:

Facilitating communication between child care services and families by:

• assisting child care workers to communicate with members of culturally diverse families and children (for example; interpreting in meetings between parents and service staff, verbal translation of enrolment documents and providing child care workers with key words and phrases that can be used to communicate with the child).

Facilitating cultural awareness by:

• assisting child care services to better understand particular ethnic backgrounds, cultural experiences, and child rearing practices of the children and families.
• facilitating the exchange and sharing of information between staff and parents about the child and his or her family life.
• providing child care workers with an understanding of relevant cultural issues.

Supporting curricula/programming by:

• supporting the implementation of culturally and linguistically appropriate practices and a culturally inclusive curriculum.
• supporting the child care service to maintain the child’s bilingualism.
• supporting the implementation of programs which support the development of English as a Second Language.
• supporting the implementation of programs which support children and families who are newly arrived to Australia from humanitarian refugee backgrounds.

Supporting resources and linkages by:

• where available, providing child care workers with information about relevant community resources and services to support the inclusion of culturally diverse children and families.
• providing bicultural advice and support to Inclusion Support Agencies.

How to contact BISS

Free Call: 1800 826 413

Or contact us via the contact form on this website. Please provide us with support request and contact details when lodging a support request

If you have accessed our service or resources please provide us with feedback by completing our service evaluation survey.