I am a childminder in Kent, caring for an 18-month-old girl with complex needs and disabilities who requires 1-1 support for medical and safety reasons. The severe shortfall in government funding leaves us nearly £9000 short of covering the cost of a staff member on minimum wage for this child's hours alone. Sadly, this financial gap means we are struggling to provide the necessary care and support that children like her desperately need.

Currently, government funding is available for children of eligible working families from 9 months old, but the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding remains inadequately structured and inaccessible for children with complex needs. This inadequacy forces settings to turn children away due to the inability to afford critical resources such as staffing, training, and specialist equipment.

Locally there is no specialist nursery provision for children under 3 with such complex needs. To make matters worse, local authority regulations disallow parental contributions to cover the shortfall, leaving us in a difficult position to provide the required care and support.

Government funding must reflect the actual costs of providers catering to children with complex needs and disabilities. This should include adequate allocations for necessary staffing, specialized training, and equipment. Without these provisions, we are failing to inclusively support young and vulnerable children, hindering their development and potential from the outset.

It is essential to revise the funding policy to ensure all children, regardless of their needs, receive their rightful access to proper education and care settings. Children with complex needs deserve equal opportunities from an early age, which begins with fair and sufficient funding to cover the real costs of their care.

We urge the government to take action now to rectify these disparities and ensure no child is left without the support they need. Please sign this petition to call for an immediate review and adjustment of funding for children with complex needs and disabilities. Together, we can push for change and support a fair system for all children and care providers.