SEND Inclusion Funding

All children may experience challenges with their learning at some point and for most children, these difficulties can be overcome with support from EY practitioners and parents/carers.

However, children may need additional or different help to be able to learn.

The Early Years Inclusion Funding is part of the graduated response; its aim is to support early intervention through promoting inclusion and equal access for all children.

Criteria to access the Early Years Inclusion Funding (EYIF):

• Children who are accessing Early Years Provision in the Private, Voluntary and Independent Sector (including childminders) or Nursery provision within schools
• Children who are eligible for Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) from 9 months of age to compulsory school age.

A child must be attending their full FEF entitlement of 15 hours or 30 hours in receipt of EYIF. To support providers to be inclusive for all children accessing FEF, there is a requirement for settings to engage in local authority activities such as termly visits, training, consultations etc

If a child needs a more intensive level of specialist help that cannot be met from the resources already in place (including the EY Inclusion Funding) then Early Years providers may then wish to apply for an Education, Health, and Care (EHCP) needs assessment.

A child does not have to be in receipt of EY Inclusion Funding for settings to apply for an EHCP needs assessment.

Please complete the relevant Early Years Inclusion Funding application:

Initial Early Years Inclusion Funding Application (Appendix A): for a child who has been identified as needing additional support through the graduated approach.

Review of Early Years Inclusion Funding Application (Appendix B): for a child who is already in receipt of the Early Years Inclusion Funding, and you are requesting the funding continues as the funding date is ending or you are requesting a higher or lower Band.

EY settings will need to evidence the impact of the current level of EY Inclusion Funding.

It is recommended you contact your Early Years Quality Officer to discuss Review Applications.

Anticipatory EY Inclusion Funding Application (Appendix C): for Exceptional Circumstances Only, where the child has significant SEND and there is supporting evidence of the child’s complex needs or where a child with SEND is transitioning from another early years setting and where there is evidence of a graduated approach.

A Section 23 must be in place for children where Anticipatory EY Inclusion Funding is being applied for.

Remember:

• A written signature from a parent or person with legal responsibility for the child must be on the application form.
• The deadline for Early Years Inclusion Funding applications is 5pm on the submission date. (see below for the dates)
• Attach evidence and assessments to support the EY Inclusion Funding application.
• Evidence presented must be legible.
• Consultation with your EYQO is highly recommended to support your application.
• Refer to the Banding descriptors (Appendix F)
• Send the completed forms to inclusionfunding@tameside.gov.uk  via egress.

Band Descriptors (Appendix F): will support you to identify which Band of funding you are applying for.

EY Inclusion Funding will be awarded for 1 to 4 terms, this is dependent on the supporting evidence provided, the age of the child, if an EHCP has been applied for, the impact of interventions, the complex needs of the child, and the views of professionals attending the Inclusion Funding meeting.

EY Inclusion Funding Outcome Notification (Appendix E): Following the EY Funding Process Meeting you will be contacted with the outcome of the decision. This will include whether EY Inclusion Funding has been awarded, the band given and how long it will be provided for.

If EY Inclusion Funding has not been agreed, comments from the meeting will be provided explaining the reason for this.

Early Years settings and schools are welcome to contact inclusionfunding@tameside.gov.uk   or their Early Years Quality Officer if they would like more information and guidance following their application.

Early Years Inclusion Funding Payments

PVI settings and Schools will receive payments, in time for the child to access their Full, Free Entitlement Funding (FEF) at the start of the term or ½ term following the process meeting.

Notification of EY Inclusion Funding Payment Changes (Appendix G)

If a child is in receipt of Early Years Inclusion Funding and there is a change in their provision, the Early Years setting must inform:

Early Years Inclusion Funding: inclusionfunding@tameside.gov.uk

This will ensure amendments to payments can be made in a timely manner.

Please compete Notification of EY Inclusion Funding Payment Changes (Appendix G)

• If there is an increase in a child’s FEF entitlement from 15 hrs to 30 hours
• If here is a decrease in a child’s FEF entitlement from 30 hrs to 15 hours
• If the child is transitioning to alternative early years provision and their EY Inclusion Funding has been agreed for additional terms.  e. support the child in nursey class.
• If the child’s EHCP has been agreed.

Observe an Early Years Inclusion Fund Process Meeting

You are welcome to observe the EY Inclusion Funding Process Meeting.

We welcome, 4 observers to the meetings one from each of the following sectors:

• Private, Voluntary & Independent Childcare Settings
• Education
• Health
• Social Care

Observers have given, positive feedback following their attendance at a meeting.

Improvement suggestions have been welcomed. The comments made by observers have informed the process.

Outcome: Following the SENDIF Process Meetings EY settings will be contacted with the outcome of the decision. This will include whether SENDIF will be given, the band given and how long it will be provided for. If SENDIF is not given, comments from the meetings will be provided explaining why this has happened. EY settings are welcome to contact their Early Years Quality Officer for SEND if they would like more information and guidance following their application.

Review process: As the SENDIF will only be given for a set period (1 term, 2 terms or 3 terms) EY settings will need to apply again if they wish funding to continue past this period. Less information is required for the review of SENDIF funding – please see the Early Years SEND Inclusion Funding (SENDIF) Process – Checklist for more information regarding what is needed.
Through the review application EYs settings can apply for the same amount of funding or they can request that it is increased or decrease in order to meet the needs of the child. EY settings will need to evidence the impact of the current level of SENDIF.

Feedback on the SENDIF process: If you would like to give feedback on the SENDIF process including what you think works well or not as well or any suggestions for developing this process further please email SENDIF@tameside.gov.uk

Section 23 Health Notifications: This is when health professionals have a statutory duty to tell the local authority if they believe a child under school age has, or is likely to have, special educational needs or a disability (SEND). Usually this notification is made by a Health body.

Section 23 notifications are currently received into the SENDIF inbox from the health referrer and collated on a spreadsheet by SENDIF support. Health Professional will also provide a copy to Rowan House where they are logged by the SEND admin team.

SENDIF applications are cross-referenced by business support to identify, if a S23 is in place this ensures the EY quality team are aware of the children and can track them through SENDCo Surgeries and termly visits.

S23’s where it is unknown if a child is attending an EYs Setting, the S23s are cross referenced by the Funding Team each term following the headcount. The funding team, inform the EYQIT of funded children who are accessing EYs provision, this enables the EYs Quality Officers to track the children and support the graduated approach.

Children with a S23, who are eligible for Free Entitlement Funding, and who are not accessing EYs provision are encouraged to take up their entitlement in EYs provision via health services.

Contact: SENDIF@tameside.gov.uk

If you would also like to attend an Early Years Process Meeting, please email: inclusionfunding@tameside.gov.uk