An Education, Health and Care plan (“EHC plan”) is a legal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
The special educational provision described in an EHC plan must be provided by the child or young person’s local authority (“LA”). This means an EHC plan can give a child or young person extra educational support. It can also give parents and young people more choice about which school or other setting the child or young person can attend.
An EHC plan can only be issued after a child or young person has gone through the process of an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.
Follow the links below for more information on how to ask for an EHC plan, how to change an existing EHC plan, and how to challenge a decision by the LA which you disagree with.
If you already have an EHC plan but the provision set out in it is not being made, you will need to make a complaint against your LA.
An EHC needs assessment is an assessment of a child or young person’s education, health and care needs Read more
An EHC plan should be written in a way that makes it clear, to parents, young people, schools, colleges and LAs, who is required to do what, when it has to happen and how often it should be reviewed Read more
Once a child or young person has an EHC plan, the local authority must ensure the support set out in the plan is made for the child or young person Read more
Once an EHC plan is in place for a child or young person, it is unlikely to remain the same over time - as they grow up, it may become out of date, and they may move to a different school or college Read more
When a local authority decides to take away, or end, an EHC plan, this is called ‘ceasing to maintain’ Read more
The SEND Tribunal is an independent national tribunal which hears parents’ and young people’s appeals against LA decisions about the special educational needs of children and young people Read more