EHCPs

Education, Health and Care Plans — what they are, who needs one, and how to apply.

Overview

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that sets out a child or young person's special educational needs and the provision required to meet them. It applies from age 0 to 25.

Key points to understand

Anyone can request an EHC needs assessment — parent, young person, school.
The local authority has 6 weeks to decide whether to assess, and 20 weeks total to issue a final plan.
Section B (needs) and Section F (provision) are the legally enforceable parts.
Refusals can be appealed to the SEND Tribunal — IPSEA and SOS!SEN offer free help.

Practical strategies that help

Request the assessment in writing and quote the Children and Families Act 2014.
Gather evidence: school reports, professional reports, parent observations.
Insist Section F is specific, quantified and dated (e.g. '5 hours weekly speech therapy').
Appeal refusals — the success rate at tribunal is over 95% (DfE statistics).

Common challenges to be aware of

Local authorities often delay or refuse — persist with formal processes.
Schools may say 'we can support without an EHCP' — without legal protection, support disappears.

How Bright Steps can help

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References & further reading

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