Early Years Inclusion Funding

Early Years Inclusion Fund Guidance for PVI Settings

Inclusion is a process of increasing children’s participation in, and reducing their exclusion from their local settings.  It is about providing equal opportunities for all children, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment or background.

Within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, Early Years Practitioners must plan for each child’s care and learning requirements, with a focus on removing or helping to counter underachievement and overcoming barriers for children where these exist.  The majority of children with additional or special educational needs will not require special resources or enhanced staffing to be successfully included in settings; indeed most settings meet the additional needs of their children very well.  However some children with complex needs may benefit from an enhanced staffing ratio for a time limited period or from the provision of additional resources or equipment.

Early Years Inclusion Fund Policy

Aim
The Early Years Inclusion Fund is administered by the Birth to Five Service and supports the inclusion and participation of children living in Lincolnshire with severe/complex additional or special educational needs who attend Early Years settings.  Applications may be made from private, voluntary and independent settings who are in receipt of Early Years Entitlement (EYE) funding. All settings in receipt of EYE funding must have an SEN or Inclusion Policy and must have regard to the SEN Code of Practice and the Disability Discrimination Act.  The policy must demonstrate how the graduated response to meeting children’s needs is applied through Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus interventions.  There is an expectation that settings will demonstrate the ways in which they have endeavoured to meet a child’s additional needs within the resources routinely available prior to requesting Early Years Inclusion Funding.Funding can only be granted for support during a child’s EYE time in a setting (or equivalent time for children not yet in receipt of funding).  Where a child accesses their Early Years Educational Entitlement at more than one Early Years setting, any Early Years Inclusion Funding allocated for that child will be shared between the settings on a pro rata basis.Early Years Inclusion Funding cannot be allocated for activities and/or resources that are generally funded by Lincolnshire County Council or Health Trusts.  It is not available for children with a statement of special educational need, or for children who attend a Local Authority School.

Process
All applications are assessed by a panel of Lincolnshire County Council Officers, who meet three times per year.  The Panel’s decisions are based on the information received with the appropriate application form and funding is awarded in line with the criteria attached.  Following each panel meeting, settings are informed of the panel’s decision in writing, with a funding agreement proforma attached.  Birth to Five Service staff will be informed of the panel’s decision by e-mail.  Settings are asked to inform parents/carers of the panel’s decision.
Settings must complete and return the Funding Agreement Proforma within 14 days of receipt; funding will then be forwarded to the setting.  In cases where the Funding Agreement is not returned within the specified time, allocation of funding will be at the discretion of the panel.  Settings should return the Funding Agreement by e-mail or as a recorded, signed for letter in the post.
All applications must be submitted by the closing date given on the form.  These dates are also available on the Birth to Five Service Website (www.birthtofive.org.uk).  Late applications will be deferred to the following panel meeting.  In such cases funding will not be backdated.  Unsuccessful application forms will be shredded (as part of our Data Protection Policy).
Where a setting has been awarded Early Years Inclusion Funding for a named child and this child reduces the number of hours attended or ceases to attend during the period for which funding has been awarded, the setting will be expected to return the balance of the funding.

There are three levels of funding available. For details of these levels, click here.

Criteria for awarding Early Years Inclusion Fund

EARLY YEARS INCLUSION FUND (EYIF) PANEL

The EYIF panel will meet as follows during this year to discuss Level 1 and Level 2 applications:

When funding has been awarded, the setting will be required to make an evaluation of the outcome by completing the appropriate evaluation form at the end of the term for which funding has been awarded.  If a completed evaluation form is not returned to the Birth to Five Service, this will affect any future applications for funding.  Members of the Birth to Five Service will discuss the impact of Early Years Inclusion Funding as part of routine liaison with the setting.  To discuss any queries relating to an application, settings contact their designated Birth to Five Service Early Years Consultant.

EYIF Evaluation Form Level 1

EYIF Evaluation Form Level 2

Procedure for appeals

Any appeal must be made in writing to the Head of Service, Birth to Five within 28 days of notification being sent out.  It is important that the specific reasons for the appeal are stated clearly.  Additional information relating to the child’s needs should be enclosed in order to provide the panel with further evidence to discuss.