The purpose of the Social Inclusion Fund is to assist children and young people in accessing childcare or out-of-school activities where their own needs or family circumstances are a barrier.
The Social Inclusion Fund aims to benefit as many children as possible with a specific, special or social need and aims to support, in some way, certain children who do not qualify for statutory support. It is a limited fund and has to be re-applied for each term and can:
- Fund the cost of a 1:1 worker (up to a maximum of £7.00 per hour) to enable a child or young person (up to age 14) to attend a pre-school setting, out-of-school setting or leisure setting.
- Fund the fees of a session per week in a daycare setting or 1 day per week at a holiday scheme (up to a maximum of £2.50 at a breakfast club; £8.00 at a pre-school or nursery; £7.00 at an after school club or £18.00 at a holiday scheme.)
Unfortunately the Social Inclusion Fund cannot be used to support 3 and 4 year olds in receipt of Nursery Education Grant; however, the Early Years Inclusion Support Fund provides a contribution to early years settings to support the inclusion of children in receipt of Nursery Education Grant who have a special educational need and/or a disability.
Who can be considered?
- Children who are 2 or 3 years old and too young to receive Nursery Education Grant will be considered for funding within term time or holiday periods.
- Children in receipt of Nursery Education Grant will be considered for schemes that run during Wiltshire school holiday periods.
- Children and young people aged 5 to 14 (16 in instances of disability and special educational need) will be considered for attendance at out-of-school activities.
General Information
- Each application will be judged on a case by case basis, with an allocation to support either fees or additional support.
- A supporting letter from an appropriate specialist is required when extra support is requested. The letter must demonstrate that, without the extra support, the applicant would be unable to attend the activity.
- One session per week for term time and/or holidays will be the maximum grant (except in cases of exceptional need).
- Sport activity attendance is initially limited for a maximum of one year. For further funding to be considered, the activities will have to be monitored and reviewed.
- Families claiming fees need to be in receipt of Income Support or Working Tax Credit.
- The three application periods are (1) Easter holidays and summer term (2) summer holidays and autumn term (3) Christmas holidays and spring term. The deadlines are around 4 weeks before the commencement of the period to which the application applies.
- All applicants will be expected to re-apply on a term-by-term basis.
For further details and an application form contact the Family Information Service at ask.
