Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund - Info for Providers and Parents

This Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) is for 2- and 3- and 4- year-olds who are taking up their Early Years funded entitlement. This fund is available to ensure the inclusion of children with emerging needs in early education.

All early years' providers who receive funding for the 2- 3- and 4-year-old early education entitlement are also eligible to receive support from the SENIF.

Please see the downloadable documents in the right sidebar (or below on mobile).

Complete Form A for each individual child and remember to provide a fully completed Form B for all children you wish to apply for.

Please note:

Applications without parental signature each term will not be accepted.

Forms A and B can now be signed using a touch screen device.

The funding will be allocated on a banded system according to the identified need and supporting evidence provided.

A new application needs to be provided and submitted every term with clear evidence of 'Assess, Plan, Do, Review' and the impact of previous funding. This could be the Autumn A&B form with clearly marked updates and a renewed parental signature.

BAND	AMOUNT	NEED	Example of a Child’s Needs
1	500 or below	Low-cost equipment, such as bucket time resources, staff training	Child may benefit from a regular bucket time session, or communication small group
2	500-1,000	Equipment, targeted support via small group sessions	Child will benefit from daily small group interventions, such as sensory circuits and support during carpet time.
3*	1,000-2,000	Professional input, targeted support 1 to 1 to complete therapeutic interventions etc	Child has input from external professional such as SALT or OT', may need daily intervention groups, specialist equipment, needs support during mealtimes.
4*	Maximum 3,000	Severe/complex needs, adaptation, enhanced ratio during key times of the daily routine etc.	Child needs several daily interventions, needs support during specific times of day such as mealtimes and/or outdoor play

Period Fund Covers	Submit anytime by	Payment Date	Appeal Date
*Autumn 1 2026	18 September 2026	19 October 2026	9 November 2026
Autumn 2 2026	23 October 2026	23 November 2026	7 December 2026
Spring 2027	5 February 2027	15 March 2027	25 March 2027
Summer 2027	30 April 2027	24 May 2027	11 June 2027

* Please note:

The ‘Autumn1’ payment is for children who have attended your establishment in the previous summer term and were already awarded SENIF funding or for children who received a service from either SPF or Portage.

Please note: funding cannot be agreed retrospectively

Under the Equality Act 2010, providers in receipt of Government Funding are expected to make “reasonable adjustments” and not to “treat children less favourably” by reason of disability. There is an expectation that settings are planning for children’s individual needs in line with EYFS requirements.