Education, Health & Care Plans (EHC Plans or EHCPs)

EHC plans should:

• Outline the child's special educational needs as identified during the EHC Needs Assessment,
• Specify the provision required to meet those needs,
• Specify how services will be delivered as part of a whole package, and
• Explain how best to achieve the outcomes sought across education, health and social care for the child or young person.

An EHC needs assessment will not always lead to an EHC plan. The information gathered during an EHC needs assessment may indicate ways in which the school, college or other provider can meet the child or young person’s needs without an EHC plan.

Suffolk SENDIASS have produced this helpful video:

EHC plans must include the following sections:

• Section A: The views, interests and aspirations of the child and his or her parents or the young person.
• Section B: The child or young person’s special educational needs.
• Section C: The child or young person’s health needs which are related to their SEN.
• Section D: The child or young person’s social care needs which are related to their SEN or to a disability.
• Section E: The outcomes sought for the child or the young person. This should include outcomes for adult life. The EHC plan should also identify the arrangements for the setting of shorter term targets by the early years provider, school, college or other education or training provider.
• Section F: The special educational provision required by the child or the young person.
• Section G: Any health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN. Where an Individual Health Care Plan is made for them, that plan should be included.
• Section H1: Any social care provision which must be made for a child or young person under 18 resulting from section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.
• Section H2: Any other social care provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN. This will include any adult social care provision being provided to meet a young person’s eligible needs (through a statutory care and support plan) under the Care Act 2014.
• Section I: The name and type of the school, maintained nursery school, post-16 institution or other institution to be attended by the child or young person and the type of that institution (or, where the name of a school or other institution is not specified in the EHC plan, the type of school or other institution to be attended by the child or young person).
• Section J: Where there is a Personal Budget, the details of how the Personal Budget will support particular outcomes, the provision it will be used for including any flexibility in its usage and the arrangements for any direct payments for education, health and social care. The special educational needs and outcomes that are to be met by any direct payment must be specified.
• Section K: The advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment must be attached (in appendices). There should be a list of this advice and information.

In addition, where the child or young person is in or beyond Year 9, the EHC plan must include (in sections F, G, H1 or H2 as appropriate) the provision required by the child or young person to assist in preparation for adulthood and independent living, for example, support for finding employment, housing or for participation in society.

How do I apply for an EHCP?

If you believe your child may require an EHC Plan, you can ask the Local Authority to carry out an EHC Needs Assessment.