How the Local Authority uses its SEN inclusion fund to support its early years children.
Annex D
Early Years Inclusion Funding eligibility & access
via The Early Years Resource Allocation & Support Panel (EYRASP)
The Early Years Inclusion Fund in Hull is:
- for children aged 2, 3 and 4 who access their free early years funding, up to 15 hours per week in a Private, Voluntary or Maintained setting; whose needs are significant and complex and will not be able to access their early years provision without additional support.
- for children who have significant delay in one or more of the categories listed below.
- to enhance ratios to promote inclusion.
- to support transition into Early Years setting/school for children with SEND.
- to provide training for additional needs and all aspects of inclusive practice to facilitate the inclusion of a child with additional needs.
- to provide for a maximum of 15 hours per week enhanced staffing over a set period of time, up to 38 weeks per year.
- Communication and Interaction
Those children who, despite appropriate intervention need a high level of individual support because of difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech language and social communication.
- Cognition and Learning
Support for learning difficulties maybe required when children learn at a much slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation.
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
Children may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying severely challenging or disruptive behaviour.
- Sensory and or Physical Needs
Children with physical needs, vision impairment, hearing impairment or a multi-sensory impairment may require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning.
Applications must:
- be an outcome of a review meeting for the child,
- be as a result of a Health Visitor Referral or LA SEND notification,
- be a transition from the Early Years Portage Service,
- have the full support of the Early Years Access & Inclusion Team, include views of the parent/ carer and consent from the parent/ carer,
- include a fully completed Referral form and ‘My Passport’ with evidence to demonstrate a graduated approach to addressing/ identifying the needs of the child. A Developmental Assessment report and a minimum of 2 observations are required. (Referral forms are available from the Early Years Inclusion team on 613647 or by email to rebecca.houlton@hullcc.gov.uk).
- include any reports/ information from any other agencies involved.
Early Years Inclusion Funding:
- The majority of funding in Hull is awarded to support access to the universal 15 hours of free early education per week up to 38 weeks per year. Where there is an identified need to support any extended EEF hours this will be assessed and agreed on an individual basis.
- the top up payment is the difference between the current hourly EEF rate and the agreed Early Years Inclusion hourly rate.
- levels of top up funding will vary according to the child’s needs and as per the agreed support by the Panel.
Level 1 = 100% Level 2 = 80% Level 3 = 60% Level 4 = 40% Level 5 = 20%
- funding is awarded over an agreed period of time; this may vary and/reduce depending on the outcomes from the termly reviews.
- payments will be made following the receipt of each term’s 2nd headcount submission.
- maintained schools and academies must email the Early Years Inclusion team each term to confirm the child/ren’s hours and weeks of attendance.
The Early Years Inclusion fund is for early intervention to support:
- the needs of the child and the interventions they require following the outcome from the Panel. This can vary from enhanced staffing ratios to the purchase of equipment and/or targeted group work.
- the fund should be used by providers to cater for a wide range of individual needs, by ensuring a high quality provision is available to children to fully access their free early years place in line with their identified need.
Providers in receipt of additional funding are required to:
- have an identified SENCO who is qualified to a minimum level 3; who has accessed Initial 3 day SENCO training and attends further SEND training and regular cluster groups to ensure they are up to date with the statutory requirements of the Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice
- work alongside an identified Area SENCO and Inclusion Support Officer.
- allow time for regular pre-arranged visits and reviews.
- complete and submit a ‘Review & Impact’ form for every child receiving additional support–this form will be emailed termly with notice of dates for completion and return. All non-completed forms will result in a delayed payment.
During access:
- A request for an Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) may be submitted with appropriate levels of evidence to allow it to be considered by the Local Authority Moderation Panel.
- All allocations will be reviewed at least termly by the Early Years Access & Inclusion team and the setting to determine if funding will be continued and at what level.
- Early years funding will cease once the EHCP funding is in place.
Inclusion funding does not automatically continue for children moving into FS2 as schools must provide support for children out of their notional inclusion budget up to the value of £6,000 before high needs top up funding is allocated.
Early Years Resource Allocation and Funding Panel:
- is a multi-professional panel which includes the Early Years Access & Inclusion team, Educational Psychologist, Head of IPASS/Language Unit, Portage Supervisor, Children’s Centre/Early Help Team, Health Visitors, Head of ASD Outreach
- meet bi-weekly
- allocate additional resources, funding and support according to the set criteria for children with SEND
- may refer/signpost children to other agencies
- regularly review and monitor any additional resources, funding or support given to settings for children with SEND