School

EHCPs demystified: a parent's roadmap

6 min read · Spotless Mind editorial

What an EHCP is

An Education, Health and Care Plan is a legal document in England that sets out a child's special educational needs, the support they must receive, and the outcomes that support is for. It is for children whose needs cannot be met by the support a school ordinarily provides. It is issued by the local authority, reviewed every year, and it is legally enforceable, which is what makes it different from every other piece of paper in the file.

Before an EHCP

Most children with additional needs are supported through SEN Support: the school's own plan, with the SENCO, reviewed each term. An EHCP is the next step when that is not enough. You do not need a diagnosis to ask for either, and you do not have to wait for the school to suggest it.

You can request an assessment yourself. Schools cannot stop you, and a diagnosis is not required.

The steps

Request an EHC needs assessment in writing to the local authority. The school can do this, and so can you. The authority decides within six weeks whether to assess. If they refuse, you can appeal. The assessment gathers advice from school, health, an educational psychologist and you. A draft plan follows if they agree one is needed. You get fifteen days to comment and to say which school you want. The final plan should be issued within twenty weeks of the request. Deadlines are often missed. Knowing them helps you chase.

What makes a good plan

Specific and quantified. "Support with reading" is useless. "Twenty minutes of one-to-one structured phonics teaching daily, delivered by a trained TA" can be enforced. Section B (needs), Section F (provision) and Section E (outcomes) are the ones to read hardest. Everything in F should meet something in B.

Help

Every area has a SENDIASS, a free, impartial advice service for parents. IPSEA and Contact publish clear guides and template letters. Bring the ABC tracker, school reports and the Handover Sheet from this site's toolkit to every meeting. Evidence moves plans.

Try this: write one page: what your child needs, what has been tried, what it cost when it was not there. Date it. That page is the start of every request, meeting and appeal you might ever need.

Educational content, not medical advice. Concerned about your child? Speak to your GP.

Explore the Knowledge Hub