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The Early Years Resource Panel

Previously EYCC Funding Panel and the Preschool Allocations Panel

Essex County Council awards Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding (SENIF) and Out of School Inclusion Funding (OOSIF) to support settings and providers to meet their responsibilities to provide inclusive practice (Equality Act 2010 and 0-25 SEND Code of Practice 2015).

  • SENIF and OOSIF are crucial resources to help settings and providers meet their responsibilities
  • the Early Years Resource Panel, chaired by the Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency and Sustainability Manager, reviews applications for these funds
  • the Panel considers the child's One Plan and any Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) submitted with the application to determine the appropriate level of funding or resources needed

If an application does not meet the criteria for funding, the panel can still provide other types of resource such as:

  • Inclusion Partner (IP): helps settings fulfil statutory duties for children with SEND and develop inclusive practices; helps settings deliver improved outcomes for children with SEND, through implementation of the person-centred graduated approach
  • Early Years Education Partner (EYEP): assists in reviewing and developing all aspects of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision to support all children effectively
  • Early Years Intervention Partner (EYEIP): supports settings in understanding and meeting the developmental needs of children with emerging needs. The EYEIP team will help consider areas such as:
    • enabling environment to meet children's needs
    • adult relationships and interactions
    • transitions and routines
    • provision and practice
    • practitioner confidence
    • support you to consider your observations, assessments, practice and environments and to think about how you can make adjustments to meet the children's needs
  • the outcome correspondence from panel notifies settings how they can access a non-financial resource

Panel usually meets on the third Thursday of every month.

For more detailed information, refer to the Terms of Reference or contact the panel.

To contact the panel, including for queries regarding emergency childcare (for urgent short-term situations where there are no other options available), email Ey.resourcepanel@essex.gov.uk 

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