What is an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)?

An Education, Health & Care Plan or EHCP is a document which sets out the education, health and social care needs of a child or young person aged up to 25, and the support that is necessary to help them achieve their outcomes.

Who needs an EHCP?

EHC plans are for children and young people (age 0-25) who have a special educational need or disability that cannot be met by the support that is already available at their early years setting, school or college.

Most children and young people with special educational needs will have help given to them without the need for an EHC Plan. This is called SEN support.

The purpose of SEN support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives that have been set for them.

How do I get an EHCP?

An EHC plan can only be issued after a child or young person has gone through the process of an EHC needs assessment. At the end of that process, the local authority has to make a decision whether to issue an EHC Plan or not.

What is an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)?

Should I speak to the early years setting, school or college first?

Yes, definitely. Speak to your child’s nursery manager ,class/subject teacher, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) or to the principal of the College the young person is attending about your worries before writing to the LA. It will always help to make sure you give the LA the best evidence when requesting an assessment, if you work together with your education setting to gather the evidence.

What if the early years setting, school or college offers to write on my behalf?

Anyone acting on behalf of an early years setting, school or post 16 institution is able to write and request an EHC needs assessment. They are often best placed to make the request as they will need to provide the Local Authority with specific information to support it. You are also able to request an assessment yourself at any time.

When should I request an EHC needs assessment?

Whenever a child or young person has a learning difficulty or a disability which is holding them back at school or college and the parents of the child or the young person (or the young person themselves) believe that the school or college is not able to provide the help and support which is needed.

For children under 16 the parent makes the request. This includes children from 0 to 5 where parents should make a request if they believe that the child will need extra help when school starts.

In the case of a young person (over 16 and up to 25) they can make the request themselves if they understand it sufficiently well themselves – otherwise the parent can make the request on a young person’s behalf.

Remember you can only ask for an EHC needs assessment if the child or young person has or may have educational needs – it does not apply where there are only health and/or care needs no matter how severe.

When should I hear back?

The LA must reply within six weeks to confirm whether they will carry out an assessment or not. They will always reply to you as a parent or young person – even where the request was made by the early years setting, school or college.