Early Years Disability Access Fund (DAF) - WNC

The Disability Access Fund (DAF) is designed to support children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). 

The DAF aids access to early years places by, for example, supporting early education and childcare providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings. This could either be for the child in question or for the benefit of all children who attend.

Providers who have funded entitlement children who are eligible for the DAF will be entitled to receive the payment.

Children do not have to take up the full 570 hours of funded entitlement they are entitled to in order to receive the DAF.

Eligibility:

Childcare providers are responsible for identifying children who are eligible for the DAF.

Under-2s, 2, 3, and 4-year-olds will be eligible for the DAF if the child: 

• is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children (link)
• attends an early years education and childcare provider for the universal or working parent entitlements (link)

Please note: any 4-year-old children already in Reception year are not eligible for DAF funding.

More information:

Detailed information for early years providers can be found here (link).