What goes into an EHC plan?
An EHC plan should be forward-looking and describe positively what your child can do and has achieved. It should be clear, concise, understandable and accessible to parents, children, young people, practitioners and providers. It must also specify the outcomes sought for your child.
EHC plans will identify need/s, set out clear relevant outcomes and specify the provision required to achieve those outcomes. Outcomes must be co-produced with parent/carers, describe positively your child or young person can do and tell their story well and coherently.
Decisions about the content of the plan are made openly and collaboratively and it should be clear how you and your child or young person have contributed to its development.
The EHC plan must meet the requirements of part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014, Regulations and the SEND Code of Practice Paragraph: 9.62.
The overall format of the plan may differ if you move to another area, however, the Children and Families Act 2014, sets out what must be included in the plan and the SEND Code of Practice provides guidance on this.
EHC plans must include the following sections:
Section A: The views, interests and aspirations of the child and his or her parents or the young person.
Section B: The child or young person’s special educational needs.
Section C: The child or young person’s health needs which are related to their SEN.
Section D: The child or young person’s social care needs which are related to their SEN or to a disability.
Section E: The outcomes sought for the child or the young person. This should include outcomes for adult life we call these preparing for adulthood outcomes. The EHC plan should also identify the arrangements for the setting of shorter term targets by the early years provider, school, college or other education or training provider. Visit our high aspirations for children and young people page for more information about outcomes.
Section F: The special educational provision required by the child or the young person.
Section G: Any health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN. Where an Individual Health Care Plan is made for them, that plan should be included.
Section H1: Any social care provision which must be made for a child or young person under 18 resulting from section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.
Section H2: Any other social care provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN. This will include any adult social care provision being provided to meet a young person’s eligible needs (through a statutory care and support plan) under the Care Act 2014.
Section I: The name and type of the school, maintained nursery school, post-16 institution or other institution to be attended by the child or young person and the type of that institution (or, where the name of a school or other institution is not specified in the EHC plan, the type of school or other institution to be attended by the child or young person).
Section J: Where there is a personal budget, the details of how the personal budget will support particular outcomes, the provision it will be used for including any flexibility in its usage and the arrangements for any direct payments for education, health and social care. The special educational needs and outcomes that are to be met by any direct payment must be specified.
Section K: The advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment must be attached (in appendices). There should be a list of this advice and information.
In addition, where the child or young person is in or beyond Year 9, the EHC plan must include (in sections F, G, H1 or H2 as appropriate) the provision required by the child or young person to assist in preparation for adulthood and independent living, for example, support for finding employment, housing or for participation in society.
For more information about the annual review process, please visit reviewing the EHC plan webpage.
What is a personal budget for SEND?
Section J of the EHCP sets out details of any agreed personal budget.
During the 15 days consultation period, following the issue of the draft EHC plan, you will be asked if you would like a personal budget for your child or young person’s support.
You can request a personal budget during the EHCP needs assessment or when the EHC plan is reviewed. Certain criteria for personal budgets apply, you will have the opportunity to discuss your options with the allocated case coordinator and decide if a personal budget is right for your family.
Learn more about personal budgets in education.
You can also learn more about personal budgets in the SEND Code of Practice paragraphs: 3.38 - 3.39.
Naming a school or setting
Section I of the EHC plan sets out the name and type of educational setting to be attended. Once the draft plan has been written, it will be sent to parents, carers or the young person if they are over 16 and to the educational setting named for final feedback and consultation prior to it been finalised.
Learn more about naming a school or setting.
If you disagree with the content of the plan
There is an opportunity to make changes to the EHCP by liaising with the EHC coordinator. You have the legal right to appeal under specific circumstances.
For more information, please visit our EHCP unhappy with our decision pages.
Involving you, your child or young person
In Bromley we do everything possible to include children, young people and their families, parents or carers in the process of assessment and production of an EHC plan. The needs of the individual child and young person should sit at the heart of our assessment and planning process.
Your child or young person’s EHC coordinator will use the professional reports gathered during the needs assessment process, together with the views of you and your child and start drafting the plan.
You and your child or young person will be offered a meeting where you will discuss:
Aspirations: (ambitions, hopes and dreams) What are your ambitions hopes, wishes of achieving something?
Needs: What are your child or young person’s needs? Their needs will be related to main areas of needs as written in the SEND Code of Practice paragraphs 6.28 to 6.35.
Outcomes: What are we all trying to achieve for your child or young person based on their needs, their interests, and their wishes? What are the benefits or differences you want to see because of the provision agreed within the plan?
Provision: What provision is needed to help your child or young person achieve their desired outcomes?
Your child or young person’s views are usually obtained from the education setting and will also need to be included in their EHCP in Section A.
Resources
Council for Disabled Children – EHC Plans examples of good practice