What is EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)?

An EHCP describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, any related health and social care needs, the outcomes they are working towards, and the special educational provision that must be made for them. It also names the school or type of setting they should attend. The local authority has a legal duty to secure the special educational provision in the plan.

Parents, young people and schools can ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment. The whole process, from request to final plan, should normally take no more than 20 weeks, with some limited exceptions. Plans must be reviewed at least once a year at an annual review.

England and Wales

EHCPs apply in England only. In Wales, the equivalent is the individual development plan (IDP) under the additional learning needs (ALN) system, which covers learners with a much wider range of needs.

Why it matters for your setting

• If a pupil with an EHCP attends your provision, you need to know what the plan says so you can help deliver it.
• You may be asked to provide information or attend annual reviews, so keep dated notes on progress and attendance.
• Some registration rules for independent schools and alternative provision depend on whether pupils have an EHCP, so it is worth knowing which of your pupils have one.

How PupilDB helps

PupilDB records each pupil’s SEN/ALN status, coordinator and local authority, and the SEN/ALN report lists these pupils across your centres.