Education Health Care Plans (EHCP)

EHC Plans are for children and young people aged 0-25. They give families more control over their support. With an EHC Plan, different agencies work together for education, health, and social care. Before getting an EHC Plan, children and young people need an EHC Needs Assessment.

Wirral Local Area wants assessment and planning to be well-coordinated. These principles guide the process:

Involve children, young people, and parents in decision-making.

Consider the child or young person's views and feelings.

Focus on each individual.

Highlight strengths and capabilities.

Tailor support to each person's needs.

Make assessments easier for families.

Bring together relevant professionals for an overall approach.

Create outcome-focused plans for the child, young person, and parents.

Allow time for preparation and ensure their voices are heard.

Provide impartial information, advice, and support for SEN.

Schedule meetings to minimise disruption to family life.

Keep young people and parents, carers informed with a dedicated caseworker.

Share information safely and effectively.

Discuss with young people and parents, carers which information will be shared.

Strive for timely provision of services.

These principles ensure that children, young people, and parents, carers have a say, receive the right support, and experience a well-organised process.

Weeks 1-6:

If a parent, carer, young person, or school feels that a child needs extra support for their special educational needs, they send a letter to the Local Authority. Within 6 weeks, the Local Authority responds to say if they will assess the child's needs. If they say no, the parents, carers can appeal.

Weeks 6-13:

The services involved have 6 weeks to provide assessments and advice. Based on this information, the Local Authority decides if they will create an EHCP (Education, Health, and Care Plan). If yes, they start working on a draft.

Weeks 13-16:

If the decision is to create an EHCP, the draft is written and sent to everyone involved. Parents, carers and young people have 15 days to share their thoughts and suggest a school. They can also meet with the EHCP Coordinator. The Local Authority consults with the chosen school, who has 15 days to respond. These responses are shared with parents, carers. If there are any issues, parents, carers can appeal.

Weeks 17-20:

Between weeks 17 and 20, the Final EHCP with the chosen school is issued. Any necessary changes are made. It is sent to all parties, and parents, carers are informed about their right to appeal. 20 weeks is a legal deadline.

What's next?

After this, the EHCP is reviewed every year or every six months for children under 5. This allows everyone involved to look back and make any necessary changes.

If a child or young person is facing difficulties in school or college due to a learning difficulty or disability, their parent, carer should first talk to the class teacher or Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). Schools follow a step-by-step approach to address the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and most children and young people receive the additional support they need to make progress.

If the parents, carers or the young person themselves feel that the school or college cannot provide the necessary help and support, they can request an EHC needs assessment from the Local Authority.

The following individuals can ask the local authority to conduct an education, health, and care needs assessment for a child or young person aged 0 to 25:

The child's parent, carer..

A young person aged 16 to 25.

A person acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution (with the parent, carer or young person's knowledge and agreement if possible).

Once a Request for EHC Needs Assessment is received, a Business Support Officer will record the request and assign it to an EHC Co-ordinator. The officer will also inform partner agencies, such as Children's Social Care, health services, and education settings, about the request.

The EHC Co-ordinator will get in touch with you by phone (followed up in writing) to acknowledge the request. During the phone call, the EHC Co-ordinator will:

Introduce themselves and explain their role.

Describe the process for considering an EHC Needs Assessment.

Agree on a date and time to meet with you, either at home or in the education setting.

The EHC Co-ordinator will also discuss with you how you prefer to be communicated with throughout the process and inform you of your right to provide written or oral views and submit evidence to the local authority.

During their first visit, the EHC Co-ordinator will discuss the Parental Advice form with you. They will also take into account the following factors:

Evidence that despite intervention progress is not being made.

Consideration of academic attainment or developmental milestones, as well as the rate of progress.

Information about the nature, extent, and context of your or your child's SEN.

Actions already taken by the education setting to address your or your child's SEN.

Progress made, particularly if it required additional intervention and support beyond the usual provision.

Physical, emotional, and social development needs.

For young people over 18, whether additional time is needed to complete education or training.

The EHC Co-ordinator collects information from you and others to complete an EHC Needs Assessment recommendation. They send it to the SEN Management Team for a decision. The EHC Co-ordinator will call you to communicate the decision, and then send a written explanation.

If an EHC Needs Assessment is needed, the EHC Co-ordinator will explain the process and arrange a visit to your home or education setting.

If an EHC Needs Assessment is not needed, the EHC Co-ordinator will give you reasons and your right to appeal. They will also inform partners who were notified of the request.

All decisions made by the SEN Management Team are monitored by the EHCP Decision Making Group to ensure consistency. Decisions will be made and communicated within 6 weeks.

Advice and information from professionals will be sought for the EHC Needs Assessment. They have 6 weeks to provide advice, which should be clear and specific. The Specialist Business Support Officer will collect and organise the advice.

The EHC Co-ordinator will visit you to gather your views and update the Parental Advice form.

The EHC Co-ordinator will compile all the information and make an EHC Plan recommendation.

The Decision Making Group will consider the recommendation and make a decision. The EHC Co-ordinator will inform you of the decision and provide reasons in writing.

If an EHC Plan is not needed, you will be informed of your right to appeal. The education setting and health services will also be notified.

The decision must be made within 16 weeks of the EHC Needs Assessment request.