Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 37
37
Acknowledged
Establish national inclusivity requirements for early years settings and reform Disability Access Fund eligibility criteria.
Conclusion
To address inconsistency in the delivery of early years provision and the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF), the Department for Education must establish a set of national inclusivity requirements for early years settings. These requirements should be backed by increased, funding to ensure providers are able to deliver inclusive practice in a sustainable way. At the same time, the Disability Access Fund should be reformed by removing its dependency on Disability Living Allowance. The 162 current eligibility criteria act as a barrier for many families, restricting uptake and undermining the fund’s effectiveness. Without these reforms, there is a risk that the system continues to perpetuate inequity and discourage inclusive practice at the earliest stage of education. (Recommendation, Paragraph 169)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of early years SEND support and states it is working to embed inclusive practice and increase funding through existing strategies, but does not commit to establishing new national inclusivity requirements or reforming the Disability Access Fund.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Supporting children with SEND is central to the early years agenda. The government recognises the important role the early years sector plays in early intervention to ensure the right support is put in place for children as soon as possible, and that every child, including those with SEND, should have access to a high-quality early years place that meets their individual needs and nurtures their development. We are making changes to improve the system for children with SEND already. The Best Start in Life strategy means a stronger focus on early identification, inclusive access to early years education, and tailored family support. We are doing this by: • making inclusive practice standard practice, working with early years educators, including Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), to embed inclusive practice across all early years teaching and qualifications. • increasing the funding available to providers to support children with SEND and make improvements to the way funding is allocated as part of wider reforms to the SEND system. Improved funding will provide additional resources for providers to better support inclusion and early intervention to prevent the escalation of needs.