What Even Is An EHCP? How Do I Get One?

I'm not an expert, but I'll tell you what I know.

It’s almost time to go back to school. For some of you reading this, you might have a child who, for any number of reasons, really, really struggles to cope in school—that is even if they get through the front door. A lot of emotionally-based school non-attendance (EBSNA) is based in having special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)

For parents of children with SEND, the journey towards ensuring their child receives the appropriate support can be complex. An Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) is a crucial tool in this journey, legally outlining the support your child needs to thrive. In this guide, we'll break down what an EHCP is, who's eligible, how to apply, and more.

Firstly, what is an EHCP? And who can get one?

An EHCP is a legally binding document that details the specific educational, health, and social care needs of a child or young person with SEND. It outlines the support required to meet these needs and helps ensure that these services are provided in a coordinated manner. Crucially, where meeting these needs requires more funding or staffing than is ordinarily available to a school, an EHCP releases money to fund these shortfalls from the Local Authority (LA).

To be eligible for an EHCP, a child or young person must have SEND that significantly impacts their ability to learn and requires support beyond what's typically available in a mainstream school. This could include:

• Learning difficulties

• Physical disabilities

• Sensory impairments

• Communication difficulties

• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs

If you are thinking that your child might fit one of these categories, there is a process to follow—first to notify the LA that you think it’s worth looking into, and then all the steps that follow if they agree. They are:

1. Request an Educational Health Care (EHC) Needs Assessment: The first step is to request an EHC Needs Assessment from the LA. A lot of us live in areas where we might have one, two (or more) councils representing an overlapping area. The LA that you would request this from is usually your County Council. If’ you are unsure, school will normally answer this for you. The requesting of an EHC Needs Assessment can be done by you as a parent, the child's school, or other professionals involved in their care. This is crucial to understand: if you think for whatever reason that your school isn’t taking this seriously or stonewalling, you decide when the process starts.

2. Gathering Evidence: The more evidence you have the better at the point of arguing in favour of requiring an EHC Needs Assessment. The LA will gather information about your child's needs from various sources, including:

   1. School Reports: these should cover not just educational difficulties, such as working below expectations, but also observations where teaching professionals see there are other difficulties and unmet needs, as well as information on what they have done so far to meet or assess those.

   2. Educational Psychologist (EP) Assessments: These are like gold dust, so where these exist they should definitely be part of your packet of evidence. A number of authorities now only allow you to access after you have gotten an EHCP—if this is you, don’t dismay!

   3. Health and Social Care Reports: Relevant professionals and their reports might include:

      1. Health Visitor or School Nurse;

      2. Social Worker;

      3. Community Paediatrics e.g. a paediatrician or a nurse specialist;

      4. CAMHS e.g. a psychiatrist or therapist.

   4. Parental Views: This is your opportunity not to talk about all of the ways in which your needs haven’t been met as a family or your child’s needs, or to criticise the school, but to talk about all the ways in which you feel your child is not currently well-served, to write about it objectively, and also to mention what school has tried and has not worked. If you can, write about you could see being different that school cannot currently provide e.g. does your child need a one-to-one? Does the school need a sensory room they cannot afford

3. Decision Time: The LA will review the evidence and decide whether to conduct an EHC Needs Assessment. If they agree, they will have 16 weeks to complete the EHC Needs Assessment.

4. Developing the EHCP: If, following the EHC Needs Assessment, the decision is made to issue an EHCP, you will work with the LA to develop the plan. This will involve discussions about your child's needs, the support they require, and the outcomes you hope to achieve.

5. Reviewing the EHCP: EHCPs are reviewed annually to ensure they remain relevant and effective. You have the right to request a review at any time if you feel your child's needs have changed. You do not have to wait for the annual review.

What do I need to bear in mind?

There are some things you can do to prepare for any of these stages, all of the time, and things you want to bear in mind throughout the process. Some of these are:

• Be Proactive: Don't hesitate to request an EHC Needs Assessment if you believe your child needs additional support. If you find your school isn’t helping you in this aspiration, don’t forget you get to decide too.

• Gather Evidence: Keep records of your child's progress, any assessments, and reports from professionals. Every parent of a child with an EHCP has a giant binder somewhere that’s a mile thick full of paper. If you haven’t gotten started yet, now is the time.

• Advocate for Your Child: Be involved in the EHCP process and make sure your child's voice is heard. If they were at this meeting, what might they think it is important to let the professionals know?

• Beware Woolly Language: You are not a lawyer, but beware woolly language in EHCPs when you are agreeing with. Might your child benefit from a one-to-one worker or does your child require a one-to-one work to thrive educationally?

• Seek Support: There are various organisations and charities that can provide advice and support throughout the EHCP process. Places you might want to start could include Googling IPSEA or SENDIASS are good places to start. Each area has its own SENDIASS and they might have a different name locally.

And in short?

Remember, securing an EHCP can make a significant difference in your child's educational journey. By understanding the process and advocating for your child's needs, you can help ensure they receive the support they deserve to reach their full potential.

Can you help me?

Absolutely! Contact me to arrange a chemistry/discovery call with me—with no charge, and free from obligation. Or just to pick my brains if you don’t need ongoing support (I might have to charge for this so there are brains remaining for others to pick!).

Please get in touch:

Final thoughts

It might seem daunting but it’s also absolutely essential to ensure that your child has the support they need in school. I have yet to encounter a case where school don’t want the same thing, even where it feels like you are on different pages. Where you are, endeavour to get back on the same page for everybody’s sake.

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