The disability access fund (DAF) is a measure for early years providers. It is designed to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. The DAF aids access to early years places by supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings and helping with building capacity (be that for the child in question or for the benefit of children as a whole attending the setting).
Eligibility
All children will be eligible for the DAF if they meet both of the following criteria:
-
The child is in receipt of child disability living allowance (DLA)
- The child receives free early education
Note: Four-year olds in primary school reception classes are NOT eligible for DAF funding.
Identifying eligible children
Early years providers are responsible for identifying eligible children. Providers are encouraged to speak to parents in order to find out who is eligible for the DAF. Parents of children qualifying for Disability Living Allowance will be required to give their provider documented evidence of this entitlement. A parent will have to nominate a provider of their choice to recieve the DAF payment (only one provider per year can receive this if eligible).
Entitlement
- The settings attended by children eligible for DAF, will be entitled to receive a one-off payment of £938 per year. DAF is not based on an hourly rate and is an additional entitlement.
- Children do not have to take up their full entitlement of funded early education in order to receive a DAF payment.
How early years providers receive DAF funding
The local authority will fund all early years settings providing a place for each child eligible for a DAF payment in their area at the fixed annual rate of £938 per eligible child.
The DAF payment will not be offset against any other funding which the local authority may ordinarily be providing for children eligible.
The DAF payment is as a lump sum, paid once a year per eligible child. If a child eligible for a DAF payment is splitting their free entitlement across two or more providers, the local authority will ask parents to nominate the main setting. This setting will be where the local authority will pay the DAF payment for the child.
If a child receiving DAF moves from one setting to another within a financial year, the new setting is not eligible to receive a DAF payment within the same financial year.
The local authority where the provider is situated is responsible for funding the DAF payment and for checking the child's eligibility.
All early years providers who are eligible to receive funding early entitlement education are also eligible to receive DAF payments.
Payment in any further years will not be automatic - the parent must provide evidence on an annual basis and the process will need to be repeated every year.
Need more help? Find out who to talk to?
Contact the Information Advice and Support Service for free, impartial information, advice and support for parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Support is also offered to children and young people with SEND. They can also help provide information in a non web format.