SEND and Inclusion
The Disability Access Fund (DAF)
The Disability Access Fund will be available to 3 and 4 year olds who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and receives their Free Early Education Entitlement at a setting within Bolton.
Children are eligible for the 3 and 4 year old Free Early Education Entitlement Funding the term after they turn 3 years old. The funding is not available to childcare settings that are not claiming the Free Early Education Entitlement. This Fund is not available to 4 year olds who are attending maintained, academy or free school reception classes.
Eligible children can receive £800 per year and this is paid to the childcare provider that the parent nominates. This is not based on an hourly rate and is an additional entitlement.
The funding aims to support providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings and/or helping with building capacity. It cannot be used to pay for additional hours. Providers should discuss with parents how they intend to use the funding to support the child’s needs.
Children do not need to take up all of their entitled 570 hours of Free Early Education to be able to access the Disability Access Fund.
The funding will not be reclaimed if the child moves settings. The new setting will be able to apply again for the funding the following year.
Early Years providers are responsible for identifying eligible children and local authorities will check that the child meets the Disability Access Fund eligibility requirements. If you have a child who you know is in receipt of the DLA and Free Early Education entitlement and you believe should be eligible for the Disability Access Fund, please contact the Start Well SEND Service on: StartWellSEND@Bolton.gov.uk or phone: 01204 338149.
Please see the flowchart below that details the process to be followed to verify eligibility for the Disability Access Fund.
For more information on the Disability Living Allowance and how parents can apply, see the ‘Contact a Family’ website. Contact a Family are a national charity for families with disabled children.
Attached is some brief information on the Disability Living Allowance and the Disability Access Fund, further information can be found on the HM Government website.
The Local Offer
The SEND Code of Practice (2014) puts a duty on the local authority to provide a local offer for their authority detailing the provision available for children with special educational needs.
The Local Offer for Bolton Council