An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that describes a child's special educational needs and the support they require. Getting one can feel overwhelming, but understanding the process helps.
Who can get an EHCP
EHCPs are for children and young people up to 25 who need more support than their school can provide through standard resources. Your child might need an EHCP if they have learning difficulties, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, communication problems, or social and emotional difficulties that significantly affect their education.
Schools have a duty to support children with special educational needs through SEN Support, which doesn't require an EHCP. This might include extra help in class, special equipment or different teaching methods. An EHCP is only needed when this level of support isn't enough.
Starting the process
You can ask your local authority to assess your child for an EHCP at any time. The school can also make this request, but they need your agreement. Some parents prefer to request the assessment themselves rather than wait for the school to act.
Your request should be in writing to your local authority's SEN team. Include your child's name, date of birth, school, and why you think they need an assessment. You might mention specific difficulties your child faces, recent assessments or reports, and what support they currently receive. Keep it brief but clear about your main concerns.
The local authority has six weeks to decide whether to assess your child. They'll consider whether your child has special educational needs and if those needs might require an EHCP. They'll look at evidence of your child's difficulties and whether the school has already tried appropriate support. If they refuse, they must explain why and tell you about your right to appeal.
The assessment process
If the local authority agrees to assess, the entire process from your initial request to their final decision should take no more than 20 weeks. During the assessment period, they'll gather information from you, the school, an educational psychologist, health services, and sometimes social care.
You'll be asked to provide your views about your child's needs, what's working, what isn't, and what outcomes you want for them. Be specific. Instead of saying your child struggles with maths, explain exactly what they find difficult and how it affects them.
The school will provide detailed information about your child's needs, the support they've already tried, and what they think would help. The SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) coordinates support in school and often writes the school's contribution to the assessment. Building a good relationship with your SENCO can be helpful, though experiences vary.
For children who can express their views, the local authority should seek their input too. How this happens depends on the child's age and understanding.
Getting your evidence together
Strong evidence makes a difference. Collect reports from any professionals who work with your child, such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, or paediatricians. If you're paying for private assessments or therapy, include these reports too.
Keep a diary of difficulties at home that relate to education. Does homework take three hours when it should take 30 minutes? Does your child have meltdowns after school because they've been masking difficulties all day? These details matter.
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Try our Parental Rights Checker free, here on this site →School data helps, but don't rely on it alone. Some children work incredibly hard to keep up, masking their difficulties. Others might be achieving academically but struggling socially or emotionally. Make sure the assessment captures the full picture.
Letters from professionals carry weight when they're specific about educational impact. A letter explaining how your child's anxiety affects their learning, participation and attendance is more useful than one that simply states they have anxiety.
After the assessment
The local authority decides whether to issue an EHCP based on the assessment information. If they decide not to issue one, they'll explain their reasoning and provide information about mediation and appeals.
Common reasons for refusal include the local authority believing the school can meet your child's needs without an EHCP, or that your child is making adequate progress with current support. What counts as 'adequate' progress often becomes a point of dispute.
If the local authority agrees to issue an EHCP, they'll send you a draft. Check it carefully. Does it accurately describe your child's needs? Are the outcomes specific and measurable? The plan should say exactly what support your child will get, who will provide it, and how often.
Vague wording is common but unhelpful. "Access to speech therapy" could mean anything from weekly sessions to a brief chat once a term. Push for specifics: "45-minute speech therapy session every week, delivered by a qualified speech and language therapist".
You can request changes to the draft. You also have the right to state a preference for which school you want named in the plan. The local authority must agree unless the school is unsuitable for your child, would harm other children's education, or would be an inefficient use of resources.
Annual reviews
EHCPs must be reviewed every year. The school organises this, inviting you and relevant professionals. This is your chance to check progress and request changes if your child's needs have changed.
Annual reviews might seem routine, but they're an opportunity to improve the plan. If provision isn't being delivered properly, or your child needs different support, the review is the formal route to address this.
When things go wrong
If your request for assessment is refused, or you disagree with the decision not to issue an EHCP, you have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. You must contact a mediation adviser first and obtain a certificate, though you don't have to participate in actual mediation to proceed with your appeal.
The tribunal is independent of your local authority. Many appeals succeed, particularly those supported by strong evidence. You can represent yourself or get help from organisations like IPSEA, SOS SEN, or your local SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service), which offers free, impartial support.
Appeals about the content of an EHCP, such as the support specified or the school named, also go to tribunal. Again, you'll need to contact a mediation adviser first for most issues.
Making your application stronger
Always link difficulties back to their educational impact. Health and social care needs matter, but the EHCP is primarily about education and how your child's needs affect their learning and school life.
Ask for support that your child genuinely needs. Requesting excessive support may weaken your case, but don't minimise real difficulties either. Your child has a legal right to appropriate support.
Work with the school where possible, but remember you can act independently. Some schools strongly support EHCP applications, while others might be reluctant due to various pressures or differing views about your child's needs.
Support is available from charities and parent groups. Many areas have local SEND support services. National charities like Contact and the Council for Disabled Children provide information and sometimes direct help. Other parents who've been through the process often share practical tips through local groups.
Keep copies of everything and note dates of conversations. It's not uncommon for paperwork to go missing or deadlines to be overlooked. Being organised protects you and your child.
The process takes time and energy. Many parents find it stressful, especially when already managing their child's needs. But an EHCP can provide the support that helps children thrive at school. Understanding the process, gathering strong evidence, and knowing your rights gives you the best chance of securing the help your child needs.
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