What the SEN inclusion fund is for
The Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF) supports local authorities to work with providers to meet the needs of individual children with special educational needs.
Local authorities must have SEN Inclusion Funds for children with SEND who are taking up any funded early learning.
How providers use the funding
Providers can use the funding to:
- increase staffing ratios at times when a child would benefit. For example during lunchtimes or the start and end of a session
- increase adult support to group or paired based support and interventions
- provide resources or equipment in the setting to meet children’s needs
- access training or cover attendance costs
The setting will need to send an invoice to SENIF. Once we've received this, the funding will be paid directly to the childcare provider.
Read our tips for providers in completing invoices:
Invoices should be submitted by the end of the term for the previous term, not the upcoming term.
Some settings will have all year round provision. If this is the case, they should spread SENIF across the year in a way that best fits the needs of the setting and the child.
Read our easy read on SENIF: