Barnsley Early Start and Family Services

In Barnsley we want to ensure that all children secure their best possible outcomes. We want to enable all children to be confident and well prepared for their futures, including their next phase of education.

Early years providers must have tools in place to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This must include a robust graduated approach to ensure needs are identified as early as possible.

Early years SEND support tools

You can access further support from Barnsley Education Inclusion Services and Family Hubs.

Settings can find all the information they need within the SEND space.

Barnsley Early Years Inclusion Grant

The Early Years Inclusion Grant provides a small amount of additional funding to support the needs of a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The grant should be used when a provider requires additional funding to meet the individual SEND needs of the child to support the removal of barriers that prevent children accessing early education. It isn't expected to cover the full costs.

There's a limited amount of funding available, so not all eligible applications can be awarded the grant.

Who can apply

Early years or childcare providers who are registered on the Ofsted early years register can apply for the early years inclusion grant.

Schools or academies who deliver 2, 3 and 4 year old funded places can also apply (excluding 4 year olds who aren't in receipt of early years funding).

How many weeks you can apply for

Each funded child can access a maximum of 38 weeks of grant funding. If the child accesses wraparound/stretched hours, funding will be considered for a maximum of 48 weeks per year (this will vary between providers).

Funding is allocated on a termly basis, so if you apply at the start of term you can apply for the full term. If you apply mid-term, you can apply for the rest of that term plus the following term.

Funding periods

Summer 2025 term

  • 12 weeks - 21 April to 18 July 2025
  • Holidays - 21 July to 31 August 2025 (6 weeks)

Autumn 2025 term

  • 15 weeks - 1 September to 19 December 2025
  • Holidays - 27 October to 31 October 2025 (1 week)

Spring 2026 term

  • 11 weeks - 5 January to 27 March 2026
  • Holidays - 16 February to 20 February 2026 (1 week)

How much you can apply for

Early years inclusion grant funding is paid at £8 per hour. The grant is intended to enhance the hourly rate already received by the provider:

  • £5.41 (plus deprivation rate) early education funding (EEF)
  • £7.64 two year entitlement (TYE) funding

How to work out how much you can apply for

You can work out how much you can apply for using the following calculation:

£8 rate x number of support hours x number of weeks = total funding

  • Hours are the number of hours a week when the child needs extra support (this isn't the hours they attend).
  • Weeks - the panel meets monthly, so your calculation needs to start from the Monday following the meeting until the end of term (see the submission dates). If you're applying mid-term, you can also apply for the following term unless you know the child will leave sooner.

How to apply

You can apply for the grant by filling in the online form below. You must make sure you have consent from the parent/carer of the child before applying.

You need to upload the following documents in the form as relevant:

  • support plan
  • integrated review action plan (both pages)
  • early years needs analysis 
  • early years focused plan
  • provision planner/map
  • early years graduated response document
  • supporting information from professionals (any strategies and recommendations from professional reports should be included as part of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review in the early years graduated response document)
  • other evidence

Continuing existing funding

If a child that has already received funding needs this for a further term, please fill in our online continuation form. 

You'll need to upload the:

To make sure there's no gap in funding you need to submit this to the last panel meeting of the term that the child is currently funded for. See the submission dates for more details.

Application outcomes

An application may have the following outcomes:

  • Successful - request granted in full
  • Partially successful - some elements of the request granted
  • Unsuccessful - resubmit with further or missing information
  • Unsuccessful - professional as support requirements can be met by the setting making a reasonable adjustment

Appeals against unsuccessful applications will be discussed at panel and reviewed by a service and strategy manager.



Disability Access Fund (DAF)

The DAF is for 3 and 4 year olds who receive child Disability Living Allowance and who receive the free early education fund entitlement.

DAF is paid to the child’s early years setting as a fixed annual rate of £938.00 per eligible child. This funding is not payable for children attending a reception class.

Please also email earlyyearsentitlements@barnsley.gov.uk with the child’s:

  • initials
  • date of birth
  • confirmation that the child is in receipt of DLA

For more details about the DAF, email earlyyearsentitlements@barnsley.gov.uk.

Short breaks

Find out more about short breaks on the Local Offer website.

You can also email shortbreaksecs@barnsley.gov.uk or call 0800 034 5340.

More information

For more information

Contact us online or call us on 0800 034 5340