To support working families with the cost of childcare, the government introduced the Extended Entitlement. This gives eligible families up to, an additional 15 hours per week for nursery aged children. These additional hours can be accessed through most childcare provider types, however, not all school-based providers offer this.

Eligibility

For full criteria please visit 30 hours free childcare.

To apply, parent’s/ carers need to set up a government gateway account and apply through Childcare Choices website.

Families must reconfirm eligibility every three months through their government gateway account.

Parent’s/ carers can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of their children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year). Parent’s/ carers will need to set up an online childcare account for their child. For every £8 they pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay their provider.

Parent’s/ carers can use it to pay for approved childcare, for example:

• Childminders, 
• Nurseries, pre-school 
• Before/ after school clubs and Holiday playschemes

Parent’s/ carers will need to check that their childcare provider is signed up to the scheme before you can pay them and benefit from Tax-Free Childcare.

If a child is disabled, parent’s/carers can use the extra Tax-Free Childcare money to help pay for extra hours of childcare. They can also use it to help pay their childcare provider so they can get specialist equipment for their child such as mobility aids. Talk to the childcare provider about what equipment your child may be able to get.

Eligibility

To see if you can get this support, please visit Tax-free-childcare.

To apply, parent’s/ carers need to set up a government gateway account and apply through Childcare Choices website

Families must reconfirm eligibility every three months through their government gateway account. 

The government funds free nursery provision for every child from the term after their third birthday until the child starts in a reception class at an infant or primary school, or until the term in which they turn five, whichever's sooner. This entitlement can be accessed through most provider types. 

To apply parent/ carers should contact the provider directly, arrange a visit to the setting with their child and discuss any needs they have.

Additional funding, that childcare settings can claim extra funding for such as Early Years Pupil Premium, Inclusion Funding and Disability Access Funding can sit alongside the universal entitlement. 

The Terrific for twos (TFTs) scheme offers 15 hours of free early years education to eligible children. The government offers funding to disadvantaged families to support high-quality, part-time early years education which helps give children of this age a great start.  The entitlement starts the term after the child’s second birthday and runs until the end of the term in which they turn three.

Eligibility

For the full criteria please visit Free education and childcare for 2-year-olds

To apply, parents/ carers can complete an online application. Successful application will see a TFT code at the end of the submission. This code will need to be passed onto the chosen childcare provider. Alternatively, parent’s/ carers can take evidence that they meet the criteria to the chosen childcare provider, who can carry out a manual check.

In the Spring 2023 Budget, the Chancellor of Exchange announced reforms to the early years funded entitlements. These are in addition to the current funded two-year-old offer (Terrific for Twos), the universal 15 hour a week for 3- and 4-year-olds, and the extended entitlement (30 hours) include:

• April 2024 – 15 funded hours per week for working families with a 2-year-old child.
• September 2024 – 15 funded hours per week for working families with a child 9 months to primary school age.
• September 2025 – 30 funded hours per week for working families with children aged 9 months to primary school age.

All new entitlements can be accessed the term after they reach the appropriate age but must be applied for in the term in which they reach the appropriate age, for example, if a child is 2 in February, they could access the entitlements from April but applications must be made between 1st January and 31st March.

For more information on these entitlements and to apply, please visit Childcare Choices

Wrap Around Care for school aged Children

In addition to the above early year’s childcare reforms, the government also announced that by September 2026 all primary schools are to offer wrap around care for pupils from 8am to 6pm. This can be onsite at the school or offered in partnership with another registered childcare provider. For more information on this families will need to speak to their child’s school.

Childcare settings can claim an hourly top-up to the universal entitlement for eligible children to support their learning and development, through EYPP. You can apply for early years pupil premium if your child is aged 3 or 4 and you get 15 hours free childcare.

Eligibility

To find out full criteria visit Get extra funding for your early years provider.

Online applications can be made by either the parents or the childcare setting. An EYPP code will be generated for successful applications, this should be passed onto the setting, if the parents applied so funding can be claimed.

Find out about extra funding available to support your child’s SEND within their early years setting.

The Disability Access Fund (DAF) is funding that enables early years providers to support children aged 3 to 4 with disabilities or special educational needs (not 4 year olds in reception). It funds providers to make reasonable adjustments to their settings to support the inclusion and participation of children in OFSTED registered provision. 

Providers should work with parents and engage professionals to ensure DAF is spent appropriately to consider what reasonable adaptations are required to ensure the child has full access to the provision. If resources are purchased, they can remain in the property of the provider but should be discussed with the parents if they would support the child at home or their next setting. 

Eligibility 

3 and 4 year olds will be eligible for the DAF funding if they meet the following criteria: 

•    The child is in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA) and 
•    The child is accessing their free early education entitlement 

Where a child lives in one authority area but attends a provider in a different local authority, the providers local authority is responsible for funding the DAF for the child and eligibility checking. 

Information for providers on how to apply for Disability Access Fund

Funding is not transferrable between providers and the provider should evidence the spend of this funding. 

• For guidance please view DAF guidance
   
• Providers are to complete the application form, in agreement with the parents/carers.  Child must be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and evidence shown to provider.
   
• Application form is to be submitted to Special Needs Early Years service email address: SpecialNeeds.EarlyYears@wolverhampton.gov.uk
   
•  For further information, please call 01902 558406
   
• Inclusion and DAF funding panel will review application (View dates).
   
• Special Needs Early Years service will inform the provider about the outcome of the funding application.  Provider will then need to inform the parents/carers.
   
• 12 months after first application, if the child is still accessing Universal Entitlement (NEF), the provider can apply for a second allocation. View review form.

Funding is not transferrable between providers and the provider should evidence the spend of this funding. 

Local Authorities duty

Early Education and Childcare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities places a requirement on local authorities to establish an Early Years Special Educational Needs Inclusion fund to support 3 and 4 year olds (not those in reception) with emerging SEND. This funding is to enable children to have the opportunity to access an Ofsted registered provision e.g. Maintained nursery classes, Private, Nurseries known as PVI’s, Early Years Settings and childminders and to fully engage with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). 

Most children with additional needs will not require special resources or additional funding to be successfully integrated into settings; indeed, most settings meet the additional needs of their children very well. 

However, some children with severe or complex needs may benefit from support through resources or additional funding for a period of time. Inclusion funding is available to children in a Wolverhampton setting.

Early Years settings duty

By law, all providers must have arrangements in place to support children with Special Educational Needs and/or disability and have regard to the SEND Code of Practice (2015) and the Equality Act (2010). Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), early years’ providers must plan for each child’s care and learning requirements, with a focus on removing any barriers that may prevent them from reaching their full potential. 

Information for providers on how to apply for Early Inclusion Fund

The provider must demonstrate how they have supported the child through the graduated approach before applying for funding.

There are two funding streams available Inclusion funding and Specialist resource funding.

For guidance about the funding, eligibility, appeal process and how to apply you can download Inclusion funding guidance.

For information about specific criteria regarding support for particular need download Inclusion funding criteria.

To apply, providers are to complete the Early Years Inclusion fund application form, in agreement and consent with parents/carers.

Applications for Inclusion Funding or Specialist Resource Funding and supportive information are to be submitted to Special Needs Early Years service email address SpecialNeeds.EarlyYears@wolverhampton.gov.uk

See submission dates and Inclusion Funding Panel dates.

Special Needs Early Years service will inform provider of panel decision. Provider will then inform the parents/carers.

Funding is provided on a termly basis and providers are required to complete a review form each term.