Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
An EHCP is a legal document that sets out the education, health and social care needs of a child or young person aged 0 to 25 years and the support that is necessary to help them make progress and achieve their identified outcomes.
They are for children and young people who have complex additional or special educational needs who need additional help in an educational setting than others.
Most children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are supported successfully by the school (under SEN Support) without the need for additional support. However, for some children and young people more support is needed, and this is where an EHCP comes in.
An EHCP -
- identifies educational, health and social needs. It sets out the additional support to meet those needs for a child or young person to achieve their best possible outcomes
- is based on a child or young person’s needs and aspirations
- specifies how services will work together to meet a child or young person’s needs and achieve agreed outcomes
- is a legal document
- can start from a child’s birth (if appropriate) and can remain in place until a young person is 25
- is used to secure the provision which is assessed as being necessary and is above that provided at SEN support
The short animations below were developed by the Council for Disabled Children, to help explain the EHCP process and its important relationship with the Person Centred Connection.
EHCP consultation
When a learner is granted an EHCP, or at any transition point between settings (such as into school, Primary to Secondary, Secondary to Post 16 or into further education or training) parents and learners will be asked for their preference of school.
The Code of Practice States that if a child’s parent or a young person makes a request for a particular nursery, school or post-16 institution the local authority must comply with that preference and name the school or college in the EHC plan unless either -
- it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational need of the child or young person
- the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources
The Local Authority SEND Team will then send a copy of the EHCP and consult with the school on how they feel they are able to meet a learner’s needs.
Schools must respond to the consultation within 15 calendar days. In their response schools should state that they are able to meet the child’s needs and will therefore be named in the EHCP or that they do not feel it would be appropriate to name their setting. If a setting does not feel it would be appropriate, they must clearly evidence their reasons in support of one of the 2 exceptions detailed above.
The Council for Disabled Children have top tips for professionals who support children and young people to participate in their EHCP.
Download the EHCP document.