Disability Access Fund
The Disability Access Fund (DAF) is funding for early years providers to support children with disabilities or special educational needs.
It aids access to early years places by supporting providers to make reasonable adjustments to their settings.
Children aged 9 months to 4 years will be eligible for the Disability Access Fund if they:
- receive child disability living allowance (DLA), and
- access the funded entitlement at the early years provider
Children aged 4 years in primary and infant school reception classes are not eligible for DAF.
Providers taking children aged 9 months to 4 years that are eligible for DAF will be entitled to receive a one-off payment of £910 per financial year. The fund is not based on an hourly rate, and is an additional entitlement.
Children do not have to take up the full 570 hours of early education they are entitled to receive the Disability Access Fund.
If a child attends more than one childcare setting, only one provider can claim DAF. The parent should choose which provider this is.
For more information about how to claim DAF, contact your early years provider.
Page last updated: 4 July 2024