Education, Health and Care Plans (sometimes called an EHC Plan or EHCP) are for children and young people up to the age of 25 who require special educational provision to meet their special educational needs.
EHC plans are based on a statutory, co-ordinated assessment and planning process undertaken by the Local Authority SEND Team called an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment.
Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
Education settings meet the needs of most children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through their existing resources. As part of the `Graduated Response’, some children and young people are assessed, supported and reviewed at SEN Support level.
If a child or young person does not make expected progress, a formal assessment can be requested to see if special educational provision is needed.
This is called an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). It is the first step towards identifying if a child or young person needs an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
A child or young person does not need to attend an education setting for an EHCNA to be requested.
An EHCNA can be requested by a parent carer, a young person themselves (if aged 16 to 25), or by anyone else who thinks an assessment may be necessary (such as an education setting or health professional).
Read about the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment process
The EHC Multi-Agency Panel
The panel undertakes joint decision-making around Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment and EHCPs.
Read about the EHC Multi-agency Panel
The Education, Health and Care (EHC) Hub
The EHC Hub is a digital platform for families, professionals and education settings to contribute to and collaborate on EHC Needs Assessments, EHCPs and EHCP Annual Reviews.
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
Read our main information page about EHCPs
Annual reviews of EHCPs
EHCPs must be reviewed by the Local Authority at least every 12 months. This is called an Annual Review.
Moving to a new phase of education with an EHCP
EHCPs must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child or young person moving between key phases of education. This is called a `phase transfer`.
Read about phase transfers for children and young people with an EHCP
Moving in and out of Southend if your child has an EHCP
When a child or young person with an EHCP moves into a different local authority (LA) area in England, the EHCP needs to transfer to the new LA.
SEND mediation and appeals
Sometimes there are disagreements between the Local Authority and parent carers or young people over decisions made about special educational needs and disability issues.
We always recommend you ask for a meeting with a member of the SEND Team in the first instance to discuss why you are unhappy with a decision. If issues cannot be resolved or agreement reached, you can consider mediation or appealing to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Tribunal.