Parents and carers had told us that they have found it difficult to find good information about education, health and care plans (EHC plans, or EHCPs) – what they are, when they’re needed, how to request an assessment and what the process is.
We’ve now updated the information on our website, to bring together all that information into one place, and to explain the process step by step to give parents and carers a clearer idea of what they are and what they involve.
You can find the new guidance on our website.
Education, health and care plans are designed to support children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities. It’s a legal document that sets out a child’s education, health and care needs and the additional support they require.
They identify what support a child should have, but there are things that EHC plans do not entitle a child to.
Here are some key things your child can receive through an EHC plan:
- The plan outlines the specific educational needs of your child and the additional support required to meet those needs. This could include specialised teaching methods, additional adult support, and tailored learning materials
- The EHC plan includes any health care provisions necessary for your child, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or mental health services
- If your child needs social care support, the plan will detail these needs and the services required, such as respite care, personal care assistance, or social skills training
- You may be entitled to a personal budget, which allows you to have a say in how the funding for your child’s support is spent. This can be managed directly by you, by the local authority, or by a third party
- The EHC plan is a legal document, meaning the local authority is legally obligated to provide the support outlined in the plan
- The plan is reviewed annually to ensure it continues to meet your child’s needs. Adjustments can be made based on your child’s progress and any changes in their needs
However, there are certain things that education, health and care plans do not cover. Here are some of those things:
- The EHC plan does not cover standard educational expenses that all students incur, such as school uniforms, meals, or general school supplies
- Routine health services that are available to all children through the National Health Service (NHS) are not included in the EHC plan. This includes general practitioner visits, vaccinations, and standard dental care
- Costs associated with extracurricular activities, such as sports clubs, music lessons, or school trips, are typically not covered unless they are specifically related to the child’s special educational needs
- While the EHC plan can include therapy services, it usually does not cover private therapy sessions unless specified and agreed upon by the local authority
- Transport to and from school is not automatically covered unless the child’s needs make it necessary for them to attend school outside the school catchment area or it is specified in the plan
- The EHC plan can support children and young people to access structured learning activities up to the age of 25 but it does not cover university tuition fees or other higher education costs
What should be ordinarily available to help all children with their learning?
In considering whether an education, care and health plan is required for a child’s needs to be met, it’s important to consider what additional support is already available to help them with their learning. Children and young people do not necessarily need an EHC plan to access support to meet their SEND needs.
We recently published a new framework that sets out an expectation on mainstream schools, nurseries and colleges in Devon to make available a common, high standard of additional and inclusive support for all their pupils. The intention is to bring all mainstream settings in Devon up to the same high standard of inclusive provision, but importantly, it will make it clear to parents and carers what level of additional inclusive support they should expect for their child at their place of learning.
You can read more about the ordinarily available inclusive provision guidance on our website.