EDUCATION HEALTH AND CARE PLANS (EHCP)
WHAT IS AN EHCP ?
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the special educational provision (support) they need and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
The special educational provision described in an EHCP must be provided by the local authority (LA). This means an EHCP can give your child or young person extra educational support, above what is typically required from SEN support.
An EHCP can only be issued after an Education, Health and Care needs assessment has been carried out.
An EHCP must be written in a way that makes it clear, to parents, young people, schools, colleges and local authorities, who is required to do what, when it has to happen and how often.
An EHCP does not have a fixed format, but are required by law to contain certain sections, and it is important to ensure your EHCP meets the legal requirements. If it doesn’t, it could make it difficult to enforce, and your child may not receive the support they require.