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Early Years Special Educational Needs (SEN) Inclusion Funding

                               

Is your child eligible for additional funding to support them in their Early Years setting?

Local authorities are required to have SENIFs for children with special educational needs (SEN) who are taking up the free entitlements, regardless of the number of hours taken. These funds are intended to support local authorities to work with providers to address the needs of individual children with SEN.

 

Your child may be eligible to receive support from the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund if they:

  • Are in receipt of the Free Entitlement to Early Learning (FEEL) funding* and attend a child-minder, PVI setting or nursery school/ school in Royal Greenwich.

* For further information on whether a child is entitled to the Free Entitlement to Early Learning (FEEL) provision click on the RBG Children Families Directory link Early Learning and Childcare

 

The Guidance- Early years entitlements: local authority funding operational guide 2024 to 2025 states that local authorities should target SENIFs at children with lower level or emerging SEN.

‘Children with more complex needs and those in receipt of an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) continue to be eligible to receive funding via the high needs block of the DSG’

Early Years SEN Inclusion Funding (for low and emerging needs) is available to enable the inclusion of any funded children with additional needs and /or disabilities in Greenwich settings. It is designed to provide financial support to increase staffing ratios or provide resources in the setting to meet children’s needs. The provider will need to apply to the SEN Inclusion Fund to describe and supply evidence of the nature of the child’s additional needs, how this creates a barrier to their inclusion with the setting and why additional funding/ staffing is required to support the child.

SEN Inclusion Fund- Easy Read

Children with established SEND needs can apply for an EHCP, typically once they have had a period of support in school/nursery. The above funding is in place to support children with emerging needs, or a lower level of SEND over a longer period of time. Due to the different processes in place in neighbouring Boroughs the following is a guide as to when this should happen:

FOR GREENWICH RESIDENT CHILDREN:

Typically, applications will be made for children who have more complex needs and may require an Education Health and Care Plan in a timely manner ahead of accessing primary school at a point when the setting has good quality information to support an NA 1 request. We would expect the setting to be working towards submitting an NA1 request for an EHCP assessment to the SEN Assessment and Review Service as soon as they have the required evidence of response to interventions etc (but definitely before the 3rd review). If this does not happen, it will be assumed that you do not think she/ he needs this level of support on an on-going basis, and the level of funding is likely to be reduced.

FOR OUT OF BOROUGH RESIDENT CHILDREN:

Children who reside out of the borough with complex needs who continue to require a higher level of support following a 12-week cycle of intervention, will follow the system for applying for a Needs assessment in their Borough of residence.  The child’s early years setting will be expected to request a Needs Assessment (NA1) from the Local Authority the child resides in. If this does not happen, it will be assumed that the setting do not think the child needs this level of support on an on-going basis, and the level of funding will cease, unless the child only requires interventions to be put in place at Band 2.

To find out more about the current system in neighbouring boroughs please click on SEND Local Offer link below:

Bexley- SEN Inclusion Fund.

Bromley- SEN Inclusion Fund.

Lewisham- SEN Inclusion Fund.

  

How can my child be referred?

All early years’ settings are expected to meet the needs of most children from within their own nursery resources, with appropriately differentiated planning (this includes providing support within the normal setting ratio of staff)

If, however, you and the professionals involved agree that your child may require additional support, the nursery or other professionals can make an application for SEN Inclusion Funding. These professionals may include:

  • the early years’ setting including child-minders
  • any professional working with your child and family.
  • All applications/ reviews should be emailed to the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund at: Early-years-inclusion-fund@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

 SENIF/ DAF Information Pack

  SENIF/DAF Application/Review form

Paperwork to send to support the application for extra support

When the setting apply, they will need to provide information to the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund to help them make their decision which MUST include:

  • Information from you, including signed parental consent to show that you have been involved in decision making and want the application to go ahead.
  • Completed application form
  • Specific interventions required detailed in a Personal Learning Plan (PLP)
  • Relevant reports from services supporting your child which inform the PLP

And MAY included:

  • TAC meeting notes
  • Relevant risk assessments and/ or Health Care Plan
  • One page profile/ Draft profile

 

SENIF & DAF Information Brief- You may find it helpful to watch the short video guide below ahead of making an application

 

How the Early Years Inclusion Fund makes decisions?

  • The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund uses the SEND Code of Practice 0-25yrs, which is the statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities.
  • The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund will work within the guidelines of the Department for Education Early Education and Childcare statutory guidance for local authorities.
  • The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund will check all decisions are made in a fair way by moderating applications/ reviews for children on a regular basis through quality assurance and management oversight.
  • The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund will ensure all funding will be reviewed on regular basis (once a term) and will use transparent systems that are in place.


What happens after my child’s application has been sent in?

  • In most cases, if the information sent with the application is detailed, you should get a decision back within 2 weeks. This should help you to get a quick decision for your child and get the support in place as soon as possible.
  • The decision will be communicated to the person who made the referral for your child by letter, and they will be the person responsible for letting you and the setting know the decision made. The letter will also tell the setting when the funding will be reviewed and the paperwork they need to send for the review. This will normally be every term.
  • On some occasions, a decision will be harder to make and will need to go to an Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund panel to make a decision.


What is a review?

  • Your child’s progress will be reviewed regularly, particularly if he/she needs this type of support. The setting will be expected to put this review in writing and send the review form to the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund at least 2 weeks before the agreed funding ends.
  • They will need to include evidence to show how you have been involved, how the support has been used, progress your child has made though the support provided, and why your child needs continued support. It is essential the setting send this in as otherwise the funding will not be renewed.


What can I do if I am not happy about the decisions?

  • If you are unhappy with the decision of the Early Years Inclusion Fund you will need to send a written letter, telling us what you are not happy about to:

Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund
SEND Outreach Services
King’s Park Campus
Eltham Palace Road
London
SE9 5LX

Email: Early-years-inclusion-fund@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

  • You can do this on your own or with your child’s setting.
  • In the first instance your appeal will be presented to the Team Leader -Early Years Inclusion Service who will review all the information (at the address above) and you will receive a decision within 10 working days from receipt of the letter.
  • If you are still not happy you can write to the SEND Outreach Support Service Manager, at the same address, who will investigate and make a final decision.


Tips for providers in completing invoices for SENIF & DAF payments