About SENIF
Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding is Essex County Council's approach to top-up funding that helps providers to meet their responsibilities to early years children with SEND.
Early years and childcare providers must not discriminate against disabled children or treat them less favourably.
SENIF can support inclusivity by being used as a contribution towards:
- enhancing the adult to child ratio for some or all of the time the child is in attendance
- acquiring specialised resources and equipment specific to the child to support their learning and development
- paying for relevant training costs or for staff to attend training
- covering costs for staff attendance at meetings with parents and professionals
SENIF should not be used to:
- purchase additional sessions for the child
- buy in external professionals to work with the child
- generally improve the provision's environment or resources
A child's access to their FEEE must not be dependent on whether they receive SENIF funding.
SENIF is usually calculated:
- as a per hour rate for FEEE hours claimed in the headcount or amendment task when banded low
- for hours attended when needs are banded medium or high - view the rates
Eligibility
- child must attend an OFSTED or ISI registered setting
- settings must be in the administrative area of Essex County Council, unless the child has an EHCP issued by ECC
- evidence through a one plan or SEND support plan is required to demonstrate that the child needs additional support to access the full early years curriculum
- child must be in attendance; excluding a child until funding is in place is not supported by the panel
- a one plan can be started in anticipation of the child attending the setting, developed as the child attends and settles, and then submitted for consideration of SENIF funding