Education funding for children and young people with SEND

There are various funding options available to education settings.

The availability of funding and how it is used will depend on the needs of your child or young person.

South Tyneside Council offers free early education for 2 year olds and 3-4 year olds. 

• South Tyneside Council: Free early education for 2 year olds
• South Tyneside Council: Free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

Early years providers can request funding from the Early Years Inclusion Fund to support children with low-level and / or emerging SEN.

The fund supports children who are falling below the expected ages and stages, despite interventions by the school / setting.

What the fund is for

Helping children to access their early years places

The fund provides support for 3 and 4 year olds, who: 

• have low-level and / or emerging SEN, and
• are falling below the expected ages and stages, despite interventions by the school / setting

Supporting children to move into their early years place

Some children may need extra support to move (transition) into their early years place.

The fund provides support for individual children aged 3 and 4 who:

• attend a registered early years provider in South Tyneside
• are taking any part of the Government funded childcare they are entitled to for 2, or 3 and 4 year olds, and
• meet the Early Years Inclusion Fund criteria.

Funded hours

Funding can be used to support children taking any number of funded hours.

However, support will be issued on a pro rata basis, to reflect the hours being used.

Requesting funding

There must be sufficient evidence that the child's needs cannot reasonably be met using the setting's existing resources, before funding is requested.

An exception to this is if a child would not be able to access their place without additional support. 

Top-up funding

If a request costs more than the funding that is available, the request will be referred to the SEND Panel.

If your child needs a higher level of support, you may be able to apply for your child's school / setting to get a yearly payment of £615 through the Disability Access Fund.

It's paid direct to your early years provider.

The fund is administered by South Tyneside Council. It is provided to make sure all children have equal access to early education.

It allows providers to buy or loan equipment and resources, so they can make reasonable adjustments for eligible children.

Eligibility

Your child must:

• be receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• be 3 or 4 years old
• be spending some, or all of the early education they are entitled to at the provider that will receive the funding
• not be in a primary school reception / foundation stage class

How to apply

When you register your child at a school / setting, you will be asked if they are entitled to Disability Access Funding.

If your child has recently been awarded Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and is now eligible, you should contact the school / setting, and they will give you a form to complete.

You will need to provide a copy of your child's latest Disability Living Allowance award. The award notice must be within the appropriate timescales.

After you've applied

You will be told if the application is successful, when the payment will be made, and who it will be paid to.

If your child is eligible for a second year

If your child is eligible for a second year, and the evidence you provided of the original Disability Living Allowance award covers this period, the payment will be automatically paid to the same provider.

How providers use the fund to support children with SEND

The school / setting is responsible for identifying what reasonable adjustments your child may need.

They will look at how to make sure your child has equal access to the learning and services provided, in the same way as another child.

This should include making sure your child has basic access into the school / setting.

When deciding how to use the funding, providers must take into account:

• your views and wishes
• the views of any relevant professionals
• their own experience of supporting the child's needs

Providers are expected to spend the full funding on the child. If the equipment / adjustment costs more than this, providers are expected to pay any extra costs.

Sharing resources

If the school / setting has more than one child who is eligible for the funding, they can think of this as one pot of money to support an adjustment, or buy resources that will benefit more than one child.

The provider owns any items that are bought as part of Disability Access Fund, and they can be used to support current and future children.

Providers can choose to share resources with you, so they can be used at home during weekends and holidays.

If your child goes to more than one setting

The fund can not be split between settings.

You will need to decide which school / setting should get the funding.

If your child moves school / setting

If your child moves school / setting, the existing provider can decide to transfer resources to the new provider. This will only be possible for moveable items. The provider who bought the equipment will make this decision.

Funding that has been given to the existing provider can not be transferred to different school / setting.

Schools / settings get £4000 per year for each child / young person that attends the setting.

An extra £6000 is available for each child / young person with SEND. This funding can be used by the school / setting as they wish.

Top-up funding (high needs funding)

Some children / young people in mainstream settings may need more support than this budget allows for.

In these cases, the school / setting can apply for additional 'top-up' or 'high needs' funding from the Council to support their needs. 

The amount the school / setting get will depend on the child / young person's needs.

Guidance on top up funding

Top Up Funding Application

Top-up funding is regularly reviewed and assessed to make sure it is supporting the needs of children and young people. See the top up funding impact form.

Schools / settings can apply for top-up funding for children with or without an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

If an EHCP is in place, top-up funding is reviewed on a yearly basis in line with the Annual Review.

If no EHCP is in place, top-up funding is agreed for a set period to target areas of difficulty.

Schools must complete a Costed Provision Map to show how their funding is being used to support the pupil:

• when they apply for an EHC needs assessment
• as part of an annual review, or
• if they apply for additional funding for pupils.

If your child attends a special school, they will be given a funding band which ranges from A to D. 

'A' is the lowest level of funding, and 'D' is the highest.

In exceptional circumstances, pupils with very complex needs may get extra funding. This will be on an individual basis.

Reviewing your child's band

Your child's band will be agreed before they start at a school / setting. Their band should be reviewed at an Annual Review meeting.

If their band needs be changed, this may need to be discussed at the SEND Panel.

If your child attends a school / setting outside of South Tyneside, or an independent school / setting, the costs must be approved by the SEND Panel.

Colleges get funding for each child that attends their setting.

They get an extra £6000 for each student who has SEN.

'Top-up' or 'high needs funding'

Colleges can apply to the Council for 'top up' or 'high needs' funding for students who need extra support.

Colleges can apply for funding for:

• students aged 16 to 19 who don't have an EHCP
• students aged 19 to 25 with an Education Health & Care Plan

Requests for funding are considered by the Council's Post-16 SEND Panel on an annual basis.

Other funding

Colleges can access other funding to support young people with additional needs.

For example, the Education and Skills Funding Agency's Adult Education Budget can be used to support students aged 19 to 25 with SEND but without an Education Health & Care Plan.

See GOV.UK: School and college funding and finance.

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs a student has because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.

This can be on its own or in addition to any other student finance.

The type of support and how much you get will depend on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

To find out more about eligibility, how to apply, and how DSA can help you, see GOV.UK: Disabled Students' Allowance.

Disabled Students Helpline

You can get advice from the Disability Rights UK Disabled Students Helpline.