Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans - WNC

West EHC Team Contact Details:

Tel: 01604 368948Daventry and South Northants Email:

[email protected]

Northampton Email: 

[email protected]

An EHC plan focuses on what is important for the child or young person - what they want to achieve now and in the future.​

All information about the Education Health and Care Plan processes, including the online requests for statutory assessments for both professionals and parents/carers are explained on the Education, Health and Care Plan webpages.

The Assessment Process

The EHC assessment process has 5 stages and takes a maximum of 20 weeks.

• Stage 1 - Is an assessment needed? Weeks 1 to 12
• Stage 2 - Preparation and information gathering: Weeks 1 to 12
• Stage 3 - Analysing all the information: Weeks 8 to 16
• Stage 4 - Consultation: Weeks 16 to 20
• Stage 5 - Final plan: Weeks 16 to 20

If the local authority decides not to assess, they will write and explain why and will offer a telephone call or meeting to discuss this decision. They will include in the letter the information that was used to make the decision, such as feedback from professionals.

There is a right to appeal the decision. Please see information about mediation and complaints - an appeal may not be necessary.

Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans

An EHC plan identifies a child's special educational needs, together with health and social care provision when these services are involved.

The focus of an EHC plan is on what is important for the child or young person - what they want to achieve now and in the future.

• SEND Code of Practice (Link)

Personal budgets

A personal budget is an amount of money identified by the local authority to deliver provision set out in an EHC plan where the parent or young person is involved in securing that provision.

Any requests for a personal budget must be discussed with the SEN officer at the draft stage of the process. They are optional and will require the agreement of the Local Authority and education provider.

• WNC - Personal Budget Policy 

Consultation process

When the Local Authority issues a draft plan, parents or carers are invited to identify a setting for the young person. 

What if I disagree with the content of the EHC plan?

Opportunities to amend the EHC plans are made available to parents, carers or young people at the draft stage. We would hope that any disagreements can be resolved at this stage by liaison with the allocated case worker and SEN Officer.

However, parents, young people and carers have the legal right to appeal under specific circumstances.

Find out more about mediation and disagreement resolution arrangements.

EHC annual review process

Education, health and care (EHC) plans should be used to actively monitor children's and young people's progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations.

EHC plans must be reviewed by the local authority a minimum of every twelve months. These reviews must focus on the child and young person's progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in their plan. The review must also consider whether these outcomes and supporting targets remain appropriate. The review meeting is normally undertaken in the educational setting, informing the local authority of the recomendations and agreements. 

Resources:

Annual Reviews of EHC Plans

• • WNC EHC Team - Annual Review Process: A Guide for Post-16 Settings
  • WNC EHC Team - Annual Review Process: A Guide for Early Years settings and Schools
  • SENDIASS - How to Prepare for an Annual Review: A Guide for parents and carers

Northamptonshire SEND Ranges

• • WNC - Guide to the SEND Ranges, 2022 (PDF 3MB)

If your school or setting needs printed copies of this document, please email [email protected]  

Northamptonshire's EHC Plan Process

• WNC EHC Team - At a Glance: The EHC Process 

Northamptonshire SEND Panels

• WNC EHC - Terms of Reference for the EHC SEND Panel

One Page Profiles and the Voice of the Child

• WNC EHC Team - One-Page Profiles, EHC Assessments, and EHC Plans
• WNC EHC Team - The Voice of the Child in RSAs: Guidance for Schools 
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