SEND - Local offer

Any nursery child in a Telford and Wrekin with special educational needs can be presented for advice and guidance.
Where access to EYIF is being sought the following criteria is applied:

• The child’s home address must be in Telford and Wrekin.
• Children must not have an EHC plan.  
• The setting can demonstrate that they are already supporting a child’s special educational need using quality first teaching and a high quality graduated approach (this must involve evidence that outside agencies have been used during cycles of assess, plan, do and review).
• There is evidence that the setting has considered costings through a costed provision map. 
• The setting can provide evidence of progress over time and the impact of current provision.
• The setting has set out what they require EYIF for (based on recommendations from outside professionals), what needs they aim to address, what provision they would put in place, the cost of it and expected outcomes.

In addition

• Pupils must have significant barriers to learning 
• The right for Parent carers and schools to request an EHC needs assessment remains in place, if appropriate, for children with EYIF allocated through the Inclusion Panel. However EYI funding will stop from the date an EHCP is finalised by the Local Authority. 
• An allocation of EYIF must be used for the named pupil only which is in line with the Schools and Early Years Finance Regulations, 2015.

The expectation is that an application for EYI funding should form part of the high quality graduated approach. Where you feel a child is making limited progress, despite access to a high quality graduated approach, it is recommended that you consider applying for EYI funding, in consultation with the child’s parent. EYI funding, once agreed, will be provided faster and you will be able you support the child’s need quicker.

Where you feel a child may require specialist provision then you will need to submit an EHC assessment. Children will not be able to enter a special school without an EHC plan.

• Parent carers must be involved in the whole process and consent to their child’s needs being presented at the Early Years Panel.  
• Settings must meet and plan with parent carers so that their views are represented in all decisions.  
• There is opportunity on the form to collect parent carers views.  
• Their views must be included with the EYIF request form when making a request to attend the panel. 

The child’s voice must also be ‘heard’ when a request is made to the Early Years Inclusion Panel. This can be submitted as a one Page Profile when submitting an EYIF request form. 

• The Local Authority has some role to play given it is accountable for the high need funding block from which EYIF will be allocated.  
• A member of the Local Authority team will be present at panel to record any agreements for EYIF, support the consistency of approach and ensure equitable resource distribution.  
• The Local Authority will keep central records of children presented at panel, record and monitor who is provided with EYIF funding. 
• The Local Authority is responsible for releasing EYI funding to settings.  
• The Panel may highlight the need for the Local Authority to follow up, monitor and support SEND provision in settings making frequent and/or poor applications. This would identify training needs within settings in the LA, for example, in particular areas of SEND interventions.  

Where a pupil receiving EYIF moves school, the setting must notify the Early Years Inclusion Panel (EYIP) immediately as the funding allocation will need to be transferred to the child’s next placement, if appropriate.

Funding is allocated to the individual child and therefore follows the child. Funding cannot be transferred to another child in the school.  

Funding will follow a child during phase transition if agreed for the first term in reception. Funding will automatically cease 31st December of the term the child is in reception.