EHC: The Annual Review Process - WNC

Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans should be checked regularly. This is to make sure children and young people are progressing towards their goals.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) must review EHC Plans every 12 months (at least). The 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.

Collecting information

Reviews should include the child or young person and their parents or carers. It is important to listen to their opinions and wishes. Families and professionals will work together to review:

• The education provision - how it affects access to teaching, learning, and progress
• Any health and social care provisions - how well they help the child make progress

The review process might also involve getting extra advice or reports from professionals.

Review meeting

The meeting's organiser must give at least two weeks' notice of the date of the meeting to relevant attendees. These should include:

• the child's parents or the young person
• a representative of the education setting
• a WNC SEN officer
• a health service representative
• a social care representative
• any other individuals relevant to the review

Information gathered for the annual review should be issued to all invitees 2 weeks before the review meeting taking place. Anyone unable to attend the meeting can submit a report, or their views, to be considered.

You can submit an annual review meeting report here (link).

Following the review meeting, the school will send a copy of the report to everyone who was invited to the meeting.

Education settings can use a template to help them plan review meetings. Please email [email protected] to request a copy.

Review and decisions

Within 4 weeks of the review meeting, WNC must decide whether to:

• keep the EHC Plan as it is
• amend the EHC Plan
• cease to maintain the EHC Plan

WNC will then notify the child's parent, the young person, and the education setting.

If it is agreed that the plan needs to be amended, WNC will start the process without delay.

If WNC decide not to make the recommended amendments to the Plan or to cease the Plan, the child's parent (or the young person) will be given information on:

• their right to appeal
• the time limits for appealing
• the requirements to consider mediation intervention

Please note: EHC Plans are not expected to be amended on a very frequent basis.

Preparing for adulthood reviews

All reviews from year 9 onwards must address Preparing for Adulthood (PFA). This includes securing employment, achieving independent living, and engaging in society.

This transition planning must be built into the EHC Plan. Where relevant, it must include plans for moving young people from children’s health and care services to adult services.

It is important in these reviews to seek and record the young person's views and wishes.

The review meeting's organiser must invite representatives of post-16 settings, especially when the young person intends to attend a specific setting. Review meetings in year 9 must explore and identify options and choices for the next phase of education.

As the young person approaches the end of their formal education (when the Plan is likely to cease within the next 12 months), the review should focus on effective exit planning.

Support, provision, and outcomes should be agreed upon to outline each step needed for a smooth transition to adulthood.

Elective home education (EHE)

Some children or young people do not attend a school or educational setting.

In these cases, reviews are held by a representative from WNC. The meetings will be held at a venue agreed with the parent or young person. The process will otherwise be the same.

EHC quality survey

When the EHC Plan has been finalised, WNC would welcome your comments on the process and your experiences.

Details of how to provide this feedback can be found in the covering letter that accompanied your finalised EHC plan.

Disagreeing 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. WNC hope that any disagreements can be resolved at that stage talking with the EHC Caseworker and EHC Officer.

Parents, carers, and young people have a legal right to appeal under specific circumstances. Find out more about mediation and disagreement resolution arrangements here (link).