Education, health and care (EHC) plans

Reviewing the EHC plan

EHC plans should be used to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations.

The law states that education, health and care plans must be reviewed annually for children and young people over the age of 5. It is suggested that children under the age of 5 have a review of the plan every 3 to 6 months. This is called an annual review meeting.

Annual review meetings

The meeting is an opportunity for you, your child or young person and the professionals to meet discuss the child or young person’s progress and review the content of the plan. 

Annual reviews must focus on the child or young person’s progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHCP. The review must also consider whether changes are needed to support achieving these outcomes and where the targets remain appropriate This is the time to recommend any changes to the outcomes that have been met. Visit our SEND aspirations and outcomes page for more information.

An annual review is not a decision-making meeting. At the meeting, recommendations are made to the council who will then make a final decision based on those recommendations together with supporting evidence.

This video, produced by the council for disabled children, gives an overview of annual reviews.  

During the meeting you will:

  • check that the support the child or young person has received over the past year has helped them to make progress
  • discuss if the child or young person’s needs have changed in any way
  • review the health and social care provision made for the child or young person and its effectiveness towards achieving progress towards outcomes
  • plan for the next year, setting new interim targets and where appropriate agree new outcomes
  • consider the continuing appropriateness of the EHC plan in the light of the child or young person’s progress during the previous year or changed circumstances and whether changes are required including any changes to outcomes, enhanced provision, change of educational establishment or whether the EHC plan should be discontinued

View an example of our Bromley EHC plan annual review template (PDF - 269.71 KB).

Your EHC coordinator, SENCO or educational setting will provide more information about the annual review process including the timescales involved.

Annual review meetings from Year 9 - Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)

All reviews taking place from Year 9 at the latest and onwards must include a focus on preparing for adulthood, including preparing for employment, independent living and participation in society.

This planning for transition to adulthood must be built into the EHC plan and where relevant should include effective planning for young people moving from children’s to adult care and health services. It is particularly important in these reviews to gather and record the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person.

Where a young person is nearing the end of their time in formal education and the EHC plan is likely to be ceased within the next 12 months, the annual review meeting should consider good exit planning. The meeting should allow discussion about the support, provision and outcomes that will be agreed that will ensure the young person is supported to make a smooth transition to whatever they will be doing next – for example, moving on to higher education, employment, independent living or adult care.

Visit our transition from year 9 - preparing for adulthood pages for more information and useful resources to support your child or young person through this process.

Person Centred Planning

Person Centred Planning is at the heart of EHCP’s and ensures that everyone understands what a child or young person aspires to, hopes for and dreams of.

Person Centred Planning describes a way of gathering information and views from children and young people and their parents or carers to help to make decisions and plans for the future.

These printable resources provide useful tools for practitioners and families when engaging with children and young people with special educational needs (SEND). The resources will enable practitioners and families to turn good intentions into effective practice, enabling children, young people with SEND to be involved in discussions and decisions about their individual support.

Download My Life My Review booklet (PDF - 377.21 KB)

Download My Life My Review pupil contribution form (PDF - 145.75 KB)

Download My Life My Review pen passport portrait (print version PDF - 152 KB)

Download Personal Profile Guide – All About me  (print version PDF - 1.92 MB)

Download Personal Profile Guide – All about me - Easy read guide (print version PDF - 1.5 MB)

Amending an EHC plan

EHC plans are not expected to be amended following every annual review or on a frequent basis outside of the scheduled annual review. However, an EHC plan may need to be amended at other times where, for example, there are changes in health or social care provision resulting from minor or specific changes in the child or young person’s circumstances, but where a full review or re-assessment is not necessary.

We will always ask for your views before changing your child or young person’s plan. If you disagree with the changes made to a plan you can appeal to the special educational needs and disability tribunal.

Ceasing an EHC Plan

The annual review meeting provides an opportunity for everyone involved with a child or young person to discuss whether they have achieved the education and training outcomes set out in the plan and if the special educational provision is still needed.

Where it is agreed that a child or young person has achieved their outcomes and the EHC plan is no longer required it will be recommended that the plan ceases.

There are other circumstances where a decision to cease to maintain an EHC plan might be made this includes where a young person decides to attend University as the young person will be able to access the Student Support Services at the University to support any access arrangements that they may require.

The plan will not cease simply because a young person is aged 19 or over.

The circumstances of when a local authority is no longer responsible for maintaining an EHC plan include:

  1. the young person aged 16 or over and has left education and entered paid employment
  2. the young person is accessing Higher Education
  3. the young person is 18 or over and no longer wishes to engage in education
  4. the young person has moved to another borough or local authority area

You can learn more about when an EHC plan might cease in the SEND Code of Practice: sections 9.199 to 9.210.

Related information: SEND 19-25 Entitlement

Your right to appeal

If you disagree with the decision of whether you or your child has an educational, health and care (EHC) needs assessment or plan, or the contents of the EHC plan or a decision to cease to maintain a plan you have a right to appeal.

For further information, please visit our edducation, health and care (EHC) plans - unhappy with our decision? pages.