Please ensure you read this important information before responding to the consultation
It is a mandatory requirement for the LA to include a deprivation supplement in the hourly rate calculation for 3&4 year olds. Providers have historically told us that they would like to keep the % of funding allocated to deprivation kept low so that all providers received a higher base rate. This year’s Early Years Task and Finish Group has agreed that this should remain the case for this year, particularly as setting that offer places to the most deprived children will be able to apply for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) for these children which could provide additional funding of 68p per hour. We are therefore not consulting on any changes to deprivation supplements for 2024/25, which will be at 3%.
Payment of Early Years Pupil Premium will be extended to all children from 9 months old to 2 years old who are eligible for a FEEE place which could provide an additional funding of 68p per hour for these children.
It is permissible for LA’s to set a higher total funding rate for the 2-year-old’s that meet benefits related criteria than for those 2 year olds that are eligible under the working family criteria. It is a priority for the LA to ensure that we increase the availability and take up of places by 2 year olds that meet the benefits related criteria. This year’s Early Years Task and Finish Group also agreed that this should be a priority. We will therefore be putting in place one hourly rate for children from working families and an enhanced rate for 2 year olds who meet the benefits related/disadvantaged criteria. We will therefore only be consulting on the rates that should be paid for these two cohorts.
LAs will be required to extend special educational needs inclusion fund (SENIFs) to children aged 9 months to 2 years with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who are taking up the free entitlements. As the size of the SENIF budget will be increased and the demand for SENIF has also increased post COVID, the size of the SENIF budget and its use are the main focus of this consultation.
Feedback from the early years sector has identified that:
1. There is a lack of FEEE places available for children with high level/ complex needs, whom may require specialist support
2. The administrational processes involved in accessing SENIF funding need to be reduced for early years providers and the LA
3. There are some children that have moderate to high level needs whose needs can been met outside of a specialist provision, in a setting of their parents/carers choice, but the setting will need additional funding in order to meet the child’s needs and enable them to make expected levels of progress
4. Early Years settings would welcome some additional support from learning and developmental delay and SEND specialists to support with observation and assessment of progress of children as well as advice around appropriate interventions and quality assuring applications for SENIF and/or EHCP's and referral to specialist health pathways