What actually is an EHCP?

An EHCP, or Education, Health and Care Plan, is a legal document used in England for children and young people up to the age of 25 whose needs cannot be met by the support normally available in their school or setting.

It describes three things: the child's needs (across education, health and care), the outcomes they are working towards, and the provision required to meet those needs. The provision section is legally binding, which is what gives an EHCP its weight.

An EHCP is requested through your Local Authority. Anyone with parental responsibility can request one, as can the school or the young person themselves. The Local Authority then has 20 weeks to decide whether to issue a plan and, if so, to finalise it.

It is worth being clear about what an EHCP is not. It is not a diagnosis. It is not a label attached to your child. It is not a punishment or a sign that anything has gone wrong. It is simply a structured way of writing down what a child needs and making sure that support is delivered and reviewed each year.

Many children with additional needs do not need an EHCP. The right question is rarely 'do we want one?' but 'is the support our child needs reasonably available without one?' If the answer is no, an EHCP may be the right route.