Wandsworth
Early Years
and
Intervention Support Service
SENInclusion FUND
This guide contains information about the SEN inclusion fund for Wandsworth Early Years Settings in receipt of 3 and 4 year olds funded places (available in 2017-2018).
Guidance notes for
SEN Inclusion Fund 2017-2018
Introduction
Under the Equality Act 2010, providers in receipt of Government Funding are expected to make “reasonable adjustments” and not to “treat children less favourably” by reason of disability. There is an expectation that settings are planning for children’s individual needs in line with EYFS requirements.
Providersmay havesome children with additional needs at some point.With differentiated planning and organisation most of these children should be able to participate fully in the activities provided.
Practitioners and SENCos can ask for support and advice from the Early Years Advisory and Inclusion Team. There may be times when providers need some extra financial support.
What is the purpose of the SEN inclusion fund?
This SEN inclusion fund is for 3- and 4-year-olds who are taking up any number of hours of free entitlement. 2-year-olds are not eligible to receive this funding.
The fund is targeted for children with lower level or emerging SEN and those who may at a later stage be eligible for an EHCP.
Thisfund is available to ensure the inclusion of children with additionalneeds in early education.
“Additional needs” may includea physical, sensory or learning disability, or difficulties in areas such as communication, attention, or behaviour.
Who can apply?
The funding is available for the following group settings:
All early years providers who are eligible to receive funding for the 3- and 4-year-old early education entitlement are also eligible to receive support from the SEN inclusion fund.
Your application needs to have been discussed with your Early Years Advisor before submitting it.
When inclusion support is considered, it is envisaged that children are grouped together, rather than supported on a 1:1 basis.
Please note that you can only apply for one term at a time.
The maximum amount per child is £1000 per term.
Funding Options:
Funding can be requested for the following:
Specific Equipment
This would enable the setting to purchase specific equipment to support the child’s access to play and learning opportunities. For example wedges for children with physical needs.
Adaptations to the environment
This would enable the setting to fund small adaptations to the physical environment to enable access for the child, for example grab rails, ramps etc.
Support
Support is available to enhance the capacity of the key person and wider permanent staff group to meet the child’s needs. It is essential that the key person is responsible for the planning and delivery of interventions supported by the wider staff group and that support plans are developed in partnership with parents.
Please note that the where support is required, the rate is £10 per hour for the person who will be fulfilling this role.
The funding is not intended to provide continuous one to one support for individual children, but to enable all children to have access to an appropriate curriculum. For example during small group times you may want to allocate one person to lead the group and a second person to support the children in accessing the group, the funding may support you in having sufficient staff to do this.
Factors that can cause a bid for funding to fail:
Each individual application will be considered on merit. It is very important that the application is completed fully and accurately, indicating exactly how much is being applied for. All applications are presented to a panel for approval.
To help you in planning your bid, listed below are some factors which could result in a bid failing or being deferred. Funding will not be awarded:
- For 1:1 staffing for a specific child.
- To subsidise places.
- Where insufficient explanation has been given as to how the funding would be used e.g. request for funding for a small group but with no explanation as to what this would achieve.
- Where Inclusion is not the primary purpose of the application.
- Where funding is requested retrospectively.
- For non-specialised resources that should be part of your general provision.
- For activities that should form part of your normal provision
- If the application form is incomplete or difficult to read.
What happens once I have submitted my application?
Each of the bids needs to be individually assessed at panel to take into account the particular circumstances associated with the bid. The panel meets half termly as laid out below. You will be informed of the outcome of your bid within 2-3 weeks of the panel date.
Should your application be successful you will be informed of the decision. You will be required to provide the EECP Team with evidence of expenditure of the grant where it is awarded for the purchase of equipment,within 3 months of the grant award.
Each term your Early Years Advisor will review with you the impact of the funding and it will be decided if the fund will be terminated or carried forward for the following term depending on the child’s progress (see appendix 2).
If you are unsuccessful, the reasons will be set out in the decision letter.
Appeal procedure
If you have any queries regarding the outcome of your application or the process, please contact Susan Reid on 020 8871 8789 or Clare Burke on 020 8871 7882
Deadlines for submission of applications 2017-2018
The panel will meet approximately half termly to decide on applications.
* Please note - Applications received after the submission dates below will be held until the following panel.
Applications to be submitted by / Panel DateFriday 6th October 2017 / Thursday 12th October 2017
Friday 8th December 2017 / Thursday 14th December 2017
Friday 2nd February 2018 / Thursday 8th February 2018
Friday 16th March 2018 / Thursday 22nd March 2018
Friday 18th May 2018 / Thursday 24th May 2018
Please note that funding cannot be agreed retrospectively.
Appendix 1
Stages of SEN Inclusion Fund
Please note that if you have already introduced an IEP/SEN Support Plan and have decided to apply for the SEN Inclusion Fund, you need to contact your Early Years Advisor before submitting the application form.
Appendix 2
Monitoring Form (to be used by early years advisor once per term)
Child’s Name / Agreed Actions/Strategies / Progress is relation to IEP/SEN Support Targets / Early Years Advisor’s Recommendations (e.g. continuation of funding/ termination of funding etc.)Date form was completed:Early Years Advisor: