Understanding the EHCP process

If your child needs more support than a school can provide from its own resources, you may hear about an Education, Health and Care Plan, usually called an EHCP. In England, this is the legal document that sets out your child's needs and the support they must receive. Wales has its own process, the Individual Development Plan, so check which applies where you live.

An EHCP is not only for children with a diagnosis. The test is whether your child needs special educational provision beyond what the school normally offers. Either you or the school can ask the local authority for an assessment, and many parents are surprised to learn they can apply themselves, directly, without waiting for the school.

The process has set stages. The local authority decides whether to assess, then whether to issue a plan, and there are national timescales for each step. If they refuse at either point, you have the right to appeal, and many refusals are overturned. Charities such as IPSEA offer free, independent advice if you hit a wall.

Before any assessment, gather your evidence: reports from school, nursery or health professionals, and your own notes about what your child finds hard. Be specific. "She cannot cope with the lunch hall" is more useful than "she struggles at school".

If a plan is issued, read the draft carefully. The sections describing needs and provision should be detailed, not vague. You can ask for changes before it is finalised, and the plan must be reviewed every year.

Our Education tool walks through this in plain English, including what to ask for at meetings and how to prepare. You do not have to figure it out alone.