How SEND funding is provided
Early years funding
Children in early years are given free early education entitlement. This money is used to provide learning and development before a child starts reception at primary school.
Mainstream school funding
Schools receive a budget directly from the central government. Part of the school budget is for SEND education and provisions. This is sometimes called the inclusion budget.
If it costs up to an additional £6,000 to educate your child with SEND, (compared to children in the school without SEND) it will be funded by this budget.
You can ask your child's school:
- how it uses the inclusion budget to support your child
- for a copy of their SEND Information Report to find out what support they have planned for children with SEND at the school
Funding for special schools
Special schools are provided with base funding of £10,000 for each planned place. Children and young people will also receive extra SEND funding for High Needs in line with their Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
Inclusion funding managed by Leeds City Council
We receive money from the government every year to support and fund schools and settings. Some of this money is used for special educational needs provision and inclusion.
In Leeds, this applies to children and young people who:
- need extra support at school for SEND
- are a Leeds resident
- are aged between 2 and 25 years of age
Early Years Funding for Inclusion (EYFFI)
EYFFI was used to support children aged 2, 3 and 4 years old who have high/special educational needs and meet criteria and has now ceased. Children already receiving EYFFI will continue to be funded until they transition towards the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) process over the next 2 years.
SEND and Inclusion Funding (SENDIF)
SENDIF is used to support children from 9 months old to school age with low level needs or emerging SEND who access Free Early Education Entitlement within a nursery setting.
SEND and Inclusion Funding Plus (SENDIF+)
SENDIF+ is used to support children from 9 months old to school age with needs identified more complex than the SENDIF criteria. This can be accessed through the Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHCNA) process.
Funding for Inclusion (FFI)
FFI was used to support children and young people who have high/special educational needs and meet criteria and has now ceased. High needs funding is now accessed through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Children and young people already receiving FFI will continue to be funded until they transition towards the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) process.
Short breaks and direct payments
You may have had a Child and Family Assessment or Early Help Assessment, where short breaks have been identified as one of the ways to meet your child’s needs. If so, you can request direct payments as a way of securing your short breaks.
The final decision about whether direct payments are appropriate for you is made by the Resource Allocation Decision and Review (RADAR) panel.
