What is an EHCP? A parent's plain-English guide
An EHCP is a legal document that sets out your child's special educational needs and the support they must receive. Here's what every parent needs to know.
What an EHCP actually is
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs or disabilities. It describes your child's needs across education, health, and social care, and — crucially — sets out the specific provision they must receive. Unlike school-based SEN support (which is discretionary), the provision in an EHCP is legally binding. Your Local Authority has a duty to deliver it.
EHCPs replaced the old Statements of SEN in 2014 under the Children and Families Act. They're intended to be more holistic, covering not just education but health and care needs too. In practice, the quality varies enormously between Local Authorities — which is why understanding the process matters.
Who can get an EHCP
Any child or young person aged 0 to 25 can have an EHCP if they have special educational needs that require provision beyond what their school can reasonably provide from its own resources. You don't need a formal diagnosis to apply — what matters is evidence of need and evidence that current support isn't working.
Common reasons families apply include: a child significantly behind their peers despite school interventions; a child with a diagnosis (autism, ADHD, dyslexia, physical disability) whose needs aren't being met; a child who needs a specialist school placement; or a young person transitioning to further education who needs ongoing support.
How to request an EHC needs assessment
Anyone can request an EHC needs assessment — you as a parent, the young person themselves (if over 16), or a professional like a teacher, GP, or health visitor. You write to your Local Authority's SEN team asking them to carry out an assessment. Keep it simple and factual: explain your child's needs, what support they're currently getting, and why you believe they need more than the school can provide.
Include supporting evidence with your request: school reports, any professional assessments (educational psychology, speech therapy, paediatric reports), and examples of how your child's needs affect their daily life and learning. The more evidence you include upfront, the harder it is for the LA to refuse.
The Local Authority has 6 weeks to decide whether to assess. If they agree, the full process — from assessment request to final EHCP — should take no more than 20 weeks. In reality, many LAs exceed this timescale.
What happens during the assessment
During an EHC needs assessment, the Local Authority gathers advice from at least six sources: you as the parent, your child (their views and wishes), an educational psychologist, your child's school or nursery, a health professional, and a social care professional. They may also seek advice from other specialists involved with your child.
You'll be asked to fill in a parent's views form — this is one of the most important documents in the process. Be specific and honest. Don't downplay your child's difficulties. Describe what a typical day looks like, what they struggle with, what they need help with, and how their needs affect the whole family. If mornings are a two-hour battle, say so. If they can't be left unsupervised, explain why.
When things go wrong
Local Authorities refuse to assess, refuse to issue plans, or issue plans that don't reflect a child's actual needs — it happens regularly. If you disagree with any decision, you have the right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (SEND). Before tribunal, you must go through mediation (though mediation for school placement issues is optional).
The appeal process can feel daunting, but the statistics are strongly in parents' favour: in recent years, over 95% of appeals that reach tribunal are decided in the family's favour. Many LAs concede before the hearing. A specialist EHCP solicitor or SENDIASS (the free, impartial SEND information service in every LA area) can help you navigate this process.
Tips from parents who've been through it
Keep everything in writing. Follow up phone calls with an email confirming what was discussed. Create a file (physical or digital) with every report, letter, and email — you'll need it.
Don't accept vague wording in an EHCP. "Access to speech therapy" means nothing. "Weekly 45-minute individual speech and language therapy sessions delivered by a qualified SLT" is what you need. Specificity is your protection.
Ask other parents for help. Local SEND support groups are full of people who've navigated the same system and can share what worked for them. You don't have to do this alone, even though it can feel that way.