What is an Education Health and Care Plan?
An Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan is a legal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
An EHC plan can only be issued after an Educational, Health, and Care needs assessment has been carried out.
The Children and Families Act (CAFA) 2014, Section 37 to 41 covers Education, Health, and Care Plans. Section 37, Subsection (1) states that –
Where, in light of an EHC (Education Health Care) needs assessment, it is necessary for the special educational provision to be made for a child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan –
- The local authority must secure that an EHC plan is prepared for the child or young person, and
- Once an EHC plan has been prepared, it must maintain the plan.
An Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan should be written in a way that makes it clear, to parents, young people, schools, colleges and LAs (Local Authority), who is required to do what, when it has to happen and how often it should be reviewed.
Useful Videos
The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) produced a video about EHCPs called What is an EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan) and who is it for.
Redbridge Information, Advice and Support Service (RIASS) has produced a series of four YouTube videos for professionals about Education, Health, and Care Plans.
Video One – Introduction
Video Two – Who needs an EHC Plan
Video Three – Content of an EHC Plan
Video Four – Professionals contribution to an EHC Needs Assessment
Useful Links
SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Code of Practice 2015
Chapter 9 – Education, Health and Care assessments and plans
SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years – GOV.UK
Special Educational and Disability Regulations 2014
Part 2
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
Independent Providers of Special Educational Needs Advice (IPSEA)
EHC plans, EHC needs assessments and SEND Tribunal appeals (ipsea.org.uk)