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  • education-health-and-care-plans
  1. How we help
  2. Get support
  3. Education, Health and Care plans

Education, Health and Care plans

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.

EHC needs assessments

EHC needs assessments

An EHC needs assessment is an assessment of a child or young person’s education, health and care needs Read more

Published: 21st March, 2018

Updated: 1st May, 2018

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
What an EHC plan contains

What an EHC plan contains

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

Published: 19th March, 2018

Updated: 1st May, 2018

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
Personal budgets and direct payments

Personal budgets and direct payments

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

Published: 17th March, 2018

Updated: 1st May, 2018

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
Changing an EHC plan

Changing an EHC plan

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is in place for a child or young person, it is unlikely to remain the same over time - as they grow up, it may become out of date, and they may move to a different school or college Read more

Published: 10th March, 2018

Updated: 23rd April, 2018

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
If your LA takes away your EHC plan

If your LA takes away your EHC plan

When a local authority decides to take away, or end, an EHC plan, this is called ‘ceasing to maintain’ Read more

Published: 9th March, 2018

Updated: 24th April, 2018

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
Appealing to the SEND Tribunal

Appealing to the SEND Tribunal

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

Published: 8th March, 2018

Updated: 21st January, 2019

Author: Emma Brock

Related topics:
  • Education, Health and Care plans
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Latest

  • Support IPSEA

    Any donation you make is hugely appreciated, and helps to keep our vital advice and support services running

  • IPSEA SEND Law for Local Authorities - 25 March

    IPSEA SEND Law for Local Authorities - 25 March

    This one-day training is designed specifically for local authority staff, providing an overview of the special educational needs and disability (SEND) legal framework, as well as other related areas of the law.

  • SEND Tribunal hints and tips

    SEND Tribunal hints and tips

    Split into two half-day training courses, this training covers 'refusal to assess' and 'refusal to issue a plan' appeals, or 'appeals against the contents of a plan' and 'appeals against the name of a school'.

  • SEND Tribunal hints and tips 16/02/2021

    SEND Tribunal hints and tips 16/02/2021

    This training day is suitable for those currently going through the following appeals processes: appeals against the contents of an EHC plan and appeals against the school named in the plan

Most read

  • EHC needs assessments

    EHC needs assessments

    An EHC needs assessment is an assessment of a child or young person’s education, health and care needs

  • Asking for an EHC needs assessment

    Asking for an EHC needs assessment

  • Advice Line

    Advice Line

    Our Advice Line provides legally based information and next step advice on any educational issue that is the result of a child’s special educational needs or disability

  • Model letters

    Model letters

    IPSEA model letters are available to download and amend for your own purposes

  • Making a request for an EHC needs assessment: Model letter 1

    Making a request for an EHC needs assessment: Model letter 1

  • Contact us

    Contact us

  • What happens in an EHC needs assessment

    What happens in an EHC needs assessment

  • Appealing to the SEND Tribunal

    Appealing to the SEND Tribunal

    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

  • IPSEA update on COVID-19 and SEN provision

    IPSEA update on COVID-19 and SEN provision

    Read our guidance on the how the COVID-19 measures affect children and young people with special educational needs (SEN)

  • What an EHC plan contains

    What an EHC plan contains

    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

How you can help IPSEA

How you can help IPSEA

Have you found the information on our website helpful today? If so, please consider donating! At IPSEA, we rely on your donations and fundraising efforts to help keep our vital services running. Read more

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Published: 19th March, 2014

Updated: 11th March, 2020

Author:

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IPSEA is registered charity number 327691
Limited company 2198066

Registered office: IPSEA, 24-26 Gold Street, Saffron Walden, CB10 1EJ