Early Years Inclusion Advice and Funding

Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities places a requirement on local authorities to establish an Early Years Inclusion Fund to support all providers delivering funded early years education in meeting the emerging needs of children with special educational needs (SEN). In Shropshire this is Early Years Inclusion Funding (EYIF) which will support all eligible children with special educational needs (SEN) who are taking up the new and existing Early Years entitlement funding.

The Early Years Inclusion Advice and Funding Panel is a meeting of Local Authority representatives and other professionals who have expertise in special educational needs within the Early Years. It has been developed for all Early Years Settings in Shropshire in order for them to access advice and additional funding to support children who attend their settings with special educational needs.

Settings must work with parent carers and children in a person-centred way, including parents in the application and review process. Parent Carers are not required to attend the panel.

An Information Guide for Parents/ Parent Carers is available (please see links to further resources below).

All children from birth to 4-years old accessing Early Years education in a Shropshire setting including childminders can be brought to panel for a discussion to seek advice and support.

Children attending private, voluntary & maintained early years settings including childminders who are in receipt of Early year entitlement funding can be brought to panel to discuss an award of Early Years Inclusion Funding.

Children in receipt of Early Years Entitlement funding are:

·         Babies and children 9 months to 2 years-old accessing working parent 15-hour funding.

·         Children 2 years-old accessing 15- hour 24U funding.

·         All children aged 3 and 4 years-old accessing 15-hour universal funding.

·         Children aged 3 and 4 years-old accessing working parents 30-hour funding.

Where funding is being requested for a child, they must attend a setting in Shropshire.

The child will have notable barriers to learning that require support above what is already available through the setting’s universal offer.

Funding is allocated to the individual child, if the pupil moves setting the funding is transferred if appropriate.

If a child has an Education, Health and Care plan in place then they cannot be discussed at the panel.

Guidance on the Early Years Inclusion Advice and Funding (EYIAF) panel is available for settings (please see links to further resources below).

For new requests for advice and funding settings should complete an Early Years Inclusive Advice and Funding Panel request form (see Appendix 1) and return this along with evidence of their graduate response using Early Years Person-Centred-Plans (PCP) to the NEF@shropshire.gov.uk inbox.

Once the relevant paperwork has been confirmed as complete, settings will receive confirmation regarding the date and time of their presentation to panel. 

A Presentation Guide is available to support settings preparing to attend panel (please see links to further further resources below).

Terms of Reference for the Early Years Inclusion and Advice Panel (please see links to further resources below).

Allocation of EYIF is usually for one year from the approval date, unless the child is due to commence school.

EYIF if appropriate, can continue for two years. It may be reduced, increased or ceased depending on the progress made by the child.

Where a child is needing funding for longer than two years, consideration must be given to if this is a longer-term need that might be more appropriately met through an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Where a child is transitioning from a nursery or childminder into a mainstream Reception class, the timelines of applying for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) must be given consideration, to ensure the right support is in place for the child as they move setting.

When the plan is due for review this must be done by the setting with parent carers and any other services involved. Settings should provide evidence of the impact of the funding they have been awarded through review of the progress the child has made. A reviewed and evaluated A-P-D-R cycle along with the new cycle showing clearly how the renewed funding will be used should be submitted.

Settings should send:

·       A Review of Early Years Inclusion Funding Form (please see links to further resources below).

·       Evidence of three cycles of A-P-D-R using PCPs

·       Any new external agency professional advice

Please return paperwork to NEF@shropshire.gov.uk

Settings will not need to attend panels for review, but someone from the Early Years team may contact you if any clarification on the request is needed.

Where a child has a disability, they may or may not have SEN however settings are able to claim Disability Access Funding (DAF). Funding can be used to support providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings and/or helping with building capacity, be that for the child in question or for the benefit of children attending the setting. A child will be eligible if they are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).