Disability Access Fund, DAF

Disability Access Fund, DAF, is paid to providers with 3 and 4 year olds who are accessing free early education. It is available for each child who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, DLA, and is a one-off payment to the provider of £615 per child. It can be used to make adjusments to a setting to improve access, or to buy equipment, for example.

Parents should make sure their provider is aware their child is receiving DLA, so that they can claim Disability Access Funding from their local authority.

Parents should ask their childcare/early education provider for a 'Parent Declaration' form so that they can fill in the section about the Disability Access Fund. If they have already filled in the form but have not indicated that their child receives Disability Living Allowance, then they should discuss this with their provider so that up-to-date information about their DLA can be passed on to the local authority.