Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
For some children with complex needs even the wide range of services available in nurseries and schools is not enough to help them achieve their full potential. If your child is still not making progress, even with support from school, you can ask us to assess him or her for an EHCP.
An education, health and care (EHC) plan is for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.
EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.
An EHCP is a legal document which describes your child’s needs. It sets out the education, health and care services needed to meet those needs and the type of educational place that would best suit your child. Your child could have a plan from birth to 25 if he or she stays in education, and the plan will change and develop as your child gets older. The EHCP replaces the statement of SEN or, in college or further education, a learning disabilities assessment (LDA). By the end of March 2018 we will have moved all children and young people across to the EHCP.
Health professionals are under a statutory duty to support the EHCP process and this includes involvement in annual reviews.
What an EHCP will mean for your child
The plan brings together in one place all the information we need to help us support your child. There can be a lot of organisation needed and the plan is a single clear guide to providing services to meet your child’s individual needs.
If your child already has a statement or a learning difficulties assessment, then he or she will may get an EHCP to replace it. We will make the change at an appropriate time, for example when your child reaches Year 5 and is looking for a secondary school place. We will contact you when it is time to move to an EHCP. In the meantime nothing will change for your child.
The EHC Hub
The EHC Hub is an online area for families, professionals and education settings to work together and contribute on Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments, plans and reviews.
To log in go to EHC Hub. For more information go to About the EHC Hub.
The EHCP process
Get ready for your annual review
- Prepare – Ask someone to help you write down your views before the meeting
- Be Comfortable – Tell school/college what will help you feel comfortable in the meeting
- Know who is coming – Ask who has been invited to the meeting. If you need someone there, make sure they have been invited
At the Annual Review you should:
- Make notes – Ask someone to help make notes in the meeting
- Ask what happens next – What are the plans for the future? How will you know you are doing well? Who will help you reach your goals?
SENDIASS can support you to help you prepare and get the most out of the meeting SENDIASS .
Helpful information
Young people’s guide to EHCP reviews; how to share your views- Amy’s Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) resource (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)
Contact details
Special Educational Need Assessment and Review Team (SENART)
Email: SEN@nelincs.gov.uk
Telephone: 01472 326292 option 6
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm and Friday 8:30 am to 4:30pm, except bank holidays