Disability Access Fund

The Disability Access Fund (DAF) is funding for early years providers to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. It aids access to early year's places by supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings.

Eligibility: 3- and 4-year old's will be eligible for Disability Access Fund if they meet the following criteria:

• the child is in receipt of child disability living allowance (DLA) and
• the child accesses the funded entitlement with an Ofsted registered, early years' provider.

Note: 4-year-old children in primary school reception classes are NOT eligible for disability access funding.

Entitlement: Providers taking three- and four-year-old's that are eligible for Disability Access Fund will be entitled to receive a one-off payment of £858.92 per year. Disability Access Fund is not based on an hourly rate and is an additional entitlement.

Children do not have to take up the full 570 hours of early education they are entitled to receive DA Fund.

Identifying eligible children and how to apply: Early years providers are encouraged to speak to parents to find out which children are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Parents of children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance are required to provide evidence to their childcare provider. Applications for Disability Access Funding need to be made via the provider portal when the settings are claiming the child's funding.

Parents who attend more than one provider need to be aware that only one payment can be made, and they must complete the parental agreement form for the provider that they wish to receive the funding.

How early years providers will receive DAF funding: The full payment will be processed at the next available payment date following submission of a copy of the child's current DLA award letter.

Disability Access Funding will not be offset against any other funding which the local authority may ordinarily be providing for children eligible for Disability Access Funding.

If a child receiving Disability Access Funding moves from one provider to another, the new provider is not eligible to receive the Disability Access Funding for this child for the same period already claimed by the previous provider. Disability Access Funding received by the original setting will not be reclaimed by the local authority.

For what can DAF funding be used?

DAF payments could be spent on equipment, resources or making reasonable adjustments to the setting, and providers are expected to use the full amount in relation to the eligible child. Full information is available on the DAF Guidance.

Find out more here.