EHC needs assessments

An education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment is an assessment of your child or young person’s education, health and care needs. It is the first step to getting an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). An EHC plan can result in additional support and funding for a child or young person with special educational needs (SEN).

You can click on the links below to read more.

Asking for an EHC needs assessment

What happens in an EHC needs assessment

When does a local authority have to issue an EHC plan

What to do when you receive your draft EHC plan

What to do when you receive your final EHC plan

EHC needs assessment and plans FAQs

Latest

Subsidised Training - Introduction to SEND Law: 25 August

Thanks to a donation from The National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All, we are pleased to offer this training to parents, carers and young people who are unable to access a full cost place at an IPSEA parent/carer training event. Designed specifically for parents, carers and supporting family members, this training provides an introduction to the law on special educational needs and disabilities
SEND and the Equality Act: behaviour, exclusions and disability discrimination: 4 August

The Equality Act 2010 protects pupils from many forms of discrimination, including disability discrimination. This half-day training session for school and education staff provides an overview of the Equality Act and explains how pupils with disabilities in schools are protected from discrimination.
London Landmarks Half Marathon 2027

Run the London Landmarks Half Marathon for IPSEA to ensure children and young people with SEND get the education they are legally entitled to
Bath Half Marathon 2027

Join #TeamIPSEA and run the Bath Half 2027 to raise essential funds for our advice services

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is in place for a child or young person, it is unlikely to remain the same over time - as they grow up, it may become out of date, and they may move to a different school or college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

What to do if your child or young person has an EHC plan but the provision set out in it is not being made
Moving with an EHC plan - permanent and temporary moves

Sometimes children and young people with EHC plans move. We explain what happens when they do on this page
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’
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

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