Applying for an EHCP, Children with SEND Extra Help

  • Gov Leglislation
  • Author:UK Government
  • Published:November 2021
  • Country: United Kingdom

Applying for an EHCP for LAC Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Extra Help

Extra help

An education, health and care (EHC) plan is for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.

EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.

Requesting an EHC Assessment

You can ask your local authority to carry out an assessment if you think your child needs an EHC plan.

A young person can request an assessment themselves if they’re aged 16 to 25.

A request can also be made by anyone else who thinks an assessment may be necessary, including doctors, health visitors, teachers, parents and family friends.

If they decide to carry out an assessment you may be asked for:

  • Any reports from your child’s school, nursery or childminder
  • Doctors’ assessments of your child
  • A letter from you about your child’s needs

The local authority will tell you within 16 weeks whether an EHC plan is going to be made for your child.

Creating an EHC plan

  1. Your local authority will create a draft EHC plan and send you a copy.
  2. You have 15 days to comment, including if you want to ask that your child goes to a specialist needs school or specialist college.
  3. Your local authority has 20 weeks from the date they receive the request for the assessment to give you the final EHC plan.

Further information can be found on the UK Government website here.

disabilities EHCP LAC SEND special educational needs
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