Portsmouth DSA Advisory Publications

An Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document in England for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It describes their specific needs and outlines the extra educational, health, and social care support they must receive from their local authority.

This guidance is intended for parents who are beginning the EHCP process for the first time, as well as for families preparing for an annual review. An annual review should always involve a full review of the provision set out in the EHCP to ensure it continues to meet the child’s evolving needs, rather than simply carrying forward existing arrangements.

This is particularly important when a child is preparing to transition to a new school or college. In these circumstances, the EHCP should be reviewed to ensure that appropriate and sufficient provision is in place to support a successful transition and enable the child or young person to settle into their new educational setting.

If your child is starting school next September, many of you may already have commenced the process in preparation. If not, it is important to act now, as delays may reduce the time available to review and appeal the EHCP, gather supporting evidence, and arrange any private assessments needed to secure suitable provision before the new school year.

Please click on the link below to read the full document.

PDSA Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Guidance for Families