Support for a child with SEND in nursery

If your child has SEND, is aged two, three or four-years old and has a funded nursery place, the nursery can get additional support for them from the Early Years Consortia. 

Who is eligible for the funding?

This support is targeted at children with lower level or emerging SEND and is designed to support and enable inclusion.

Your child is eligible for this additional support if they already have a place funded by Liverpool City Council at a private, voluntary or independent nursery for the following hours each week:

• 15 hours - children aged two 
• 30 hours - children aged three 

How can I access this funding for my child?

To find out more about Early Years Consortia funding, please speak to the SENco at your child’s private, voluntary or independent nursery.

If your child is in a nursery attached to a school, their SENco will need to apply to the Schools Consortia for additional funding. 

What can funding be used for?

The money can be used to provide additional support during your child's funded hours - it cannot be used for additional hours. The funding can be used to:

• access support from an external agency such as special educational needs inclusion support service (SENISS) educational psychology, the ADHD Foundation or Purple Circle
• get SEND-specific training for staff to help them meet the needs of children with SEND
• buy SEND-specific resources recommended by SENISS or a speech and language therapist such as a Peanut Ball or a sensory needs support kit
• pay for an existing staff member to work additional hours in order to provide some individual support to a child recommended by an external agency