The new AIM Level 7 Confirmation form is now available on the Early Years Hive.
As part of the move to the new simplified AIM Level 7 process, submitted AIM Level 7 confirmation forms will remain in a ‘Pending’ status on the Early Years Hive for now.
Statuses will move to their next stage soon, and once a status is ‘Confirmed’, payments will start.
No further action is required from you at this stage after submitting the Confirmation form.
The review function for 2026/2027 AIM Level 7 confirmation form will not be available on the Early Years Hive until October.
Until then, all review requests should be submitted through the Requests sections of the Early Years Hive.
There are two AIM Level 7 review types
Child Need reviews: relates to the direct needs of the child
Service Need reviews: relates to circumstances affecting the service provider. Service Need reviews can be broken down into four categories, as outlined below.
Additional resource: A service provider may request additional AIM Level 7 funding where the standard shared-support allocation is insufficient to meet the service’s needs.
Stop resource: A service provider may request to decline AIM Level 7 funding where the allocated supports cannot be implemented within the funding provided.
Adjust hours: A service provider may request an increase or decrease in AIM Level 7 funding where the current allocation is higher or lower than the service requires.
Change to use of capitation: A service provider may request to use AIM Level 7 funding to support a Maintenance of Reduced Ratio arrangement instead of employing an AIM Level 7 resource. Where a maintenance of reduced ratio review is approved, the service provider must reduce the room ratio by a minimum of three children. Furthermore, only one maintenance of reduced ratio arrangement and an AIM Level 7 resource cannot be used simultaneously within the same room.
When submitting a review request through the Early Years Hive, service providers must include a clear rationale explaining the reason for the request. Any changes to the use of the approved use of Level 7 capitation awarded must be agreed in conjunction with a child’s parents /legal guardian/carers.
Examples of child needs and service need review scenarios are available in the Frequently Asked Questions Guide available here.
Important information
Where a child has been awarded a support level and has an active ECCE and NCS registration, supports will be awarded automatically following the submission of the AIM Level 7 confirmation form.
If a service provider does not need all supports awarded to a child, they must submit a request on the Early Years Hive to let us know. For example, this may apply where a child has an active NCS claim however does not need support during NCS hours.
Please be aware that submitting a review request is a formal request to reassess the support currently awarded to your service.
As a result of a review, support levels may:
Increase
Decrease
Be amended
Before submitting a review request, please carefully consider whether there is new or updated information that supports the need for reassessment. When submitting a review request, please provide a clear explanation of why the review is needed.
Requests should only be submitted where there is a genuine need for reassessment based on updated or relevant information.
Following submission, please continue to monitor the request via the Early Years Hive for a response.
How to submit a review request
If you wish to submit a review through the Early Years Hive, please select the following categories on the Requests page:
Programme: AIM Level 7
Request Type: Review
Request Type Detail: Standard
Please allow sufficient time for your request to be reviewed and responded to. Please continue to monitor the Early Years Hive over the coming weeks for further updates on the availability of review functionality.
Regards,
The Early Years Team
