Sources of income for early years providers
Updated 7 September 2018
Applies to England
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There are a number of additional sources of funding available that you can use to support individual children and raise the quality of childcare that you offer.
Early years pupil premium (EYPP)
If you have disadvantaged 3- and 4-year-olds at your setting, you may be eligible for the early years pupil premium. See how much EYPP funding is available per year for each child taking up the full entitlement.
If you think there are children at your setting who qualify for the EYPP, speak to your local authority.
Disability access fund (DAF)
If you provide places for any 3- or 4-year-olds who receive disability living allowance (DLA), your setting is eligible to receive disability access funding, which is £615 per child per year. If so, speak to your local authority.
Special educational needs (SEN) inclusion fund
Every local authority must have a SEN inclusion fund to support early years providers in meeting the needs of individual children with SEN.
Speak to your local authority about how you can access this fund, or check your local authority’s ‘local offer’ to find out about the local SEN support available.
Grants, loans, and business support
Local and national finance and support for business is available. This includes:
- grants
- finance
- loans
- mentoring and consultancy
Childcare Business Grants Scheme
You could get a childcare business grant of £500 or £1,000 to help with the costs of setting up a childminder business or agency (CMA) in England. The scheme will end either when the funds run out or by 31 March 2018, whichever is sooner.
Big Society Capital Good Finance Project
‘Good Finance’ is a project to improve access to information on social investment and finance for charities and social enterprises.
Your local authority may have details of local organisations which can provide further advice, funding and support.
Charging parents for additional items or services
The government position on charging for meals and additional services is set out in the revised statutory guidance for local authorities on early education and childcare, which will apply from September 2017.