Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs)
Whilst local authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not offer EHCPs, they all have similar alternatives.
In Scotland these are known as Co-ordinated support plans (CSPs)
In Wales there are Individual development Plans (IDPs)
In Northern Ireland there are Statements of special educational needs (also known as an ‘SEN statement’).
There are 5 stages to a plan:
- 1. Find or see the need. The first step in the process of an Education Health and Care Plan is that someone shows that a young person has additional needs to be access education properly. It can be asked for by the young person themselves, a parent or carer or a teacher, or anyone else with concerns about a young persons academic achievement.
- 2. Assessing. Your local authority (council office with responsibility for SEND) has 6 weeks to get all the paperwork and evidence together to show why it is needed. Anyone can give evidence in to the report. Once it has been reviewed, the panel of people (from the local authority) will decide if the young person needs an EHCP If thy decide yes:
- 3. Planning. They then have 20 weeks to look at what is needed and how to put this in place
- 4. Actioning the plan. A meeting will be set and everyone will attend to see what parts they need to do to support the young person. This will be written down and someone (sometimes known as the Chair) will have responsibility for making sure these actions happen.
- 5. Reviewing. The plan will be reviewed regularly to make sure it is working to help support the young person and if changes need to be made.
- 6. If they decide no: You have the right to appeal the decision – this means you can say you don’t agree and that you want them to look at it again.
In this next section, Emily answers some of the commonly asked questions around EHCPs
A parent, you (if you are over 16), a healthcare professional (such as a doctor) or your school/college can request an EHCP assessment from your local authority (council). Providing your local authority agree to assess, an assessment will determine if you need an EHCP, and if so, what support it will provide. The process should be completed within 20 weeks.
If your local authority firstly decide you are not eligible for an EHCP you (or your parent/carer) are allowed to challenge their opinion by requesting another assessment if necessary.
Children and young people with special educational needs (including disabilities) who need more support than typically available through ordinary provision may qualify for an EHCP.
For example, if someone used a wheelchair yet their school wasn’t accessible, they may have an EHCP to help them access an equal education to their peers, despite their disability. An EHCP can also be used to access specialist provision (such as online learning or specialist schools) if necessary providing it is named on the plan.
Once an assessment of your needs has proven you will benefit from an EHCP, you may be asked to provide evidence, so your local authority understand your needs in greater detail. This may include a review with an educational psychologist, a letter from your doctor and reports from your school. You (as well as your parents/carers) will also be asked your views on what is currently working and not working in terms of your education, as well as what support you feel you will benefit from.
All this information will collectively form your draft EHCP, which you can then review to check it is suitable (and edit, if necessary) before confirming the final plan. Once the plan has been confirmed, it will be implemented as soon as possible and annually reviewed.
What support an EHCP provides completely depends on your individual needs at the time it is written and is reviewed regularly from then on.
For example, someone who cannot attend mainstream school due to their condition may be offered online lessons, whilst someone who has regular hospital admissions may get lessons sent to them to prevent more disruption to their education. Some people with an EHCP may have a 1-1 TA/LSA (Teaching assistant/learning support assistant) to support their learning, if necessary.
An EHCP can last until a young person turns 25. It is reviewed annually to ensure it is up to date with their current needs and can be reviewed at any point if they do not feel the current support is appropriate. If you go to university, an EHCP ends automatically regardless of your age.
A coordinated support plan is a legal document that can support children and young people with access the extra support they need due to their disability. You may be eligible for a CSP if you have multiple/ complex support needs and require lots of extra support, both at and out of school. If you do not meet the specific criteria, you are still entitled to extra support via your local authority. You, a parent/carer or a teacher can notify your local authority if you/they think you would benefit from a CSP.
Like an EHCP, an individual development plan is a legal document for children and young people aged 0-25 with additional learning needs, which describes their individual needs, the support they require and the outcomes they aim to achieve. It is reviewed every twelve months and you (or a parent/professional) can request a plan, depending on which stage of education you are currently at.
A statement of special educational needs sets out a child or young persons needs as well as the help they should receive and is reviewed annually. The education authority usually make a statement if they believe your child’s school cannot provide enough support. Following an assessment by the Education Authority, they will notify you within twelve weeks if they decide to write a statement. If you disagree with their decision (for example, if they decide not to write a statement) you can challenge this decision.