What an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) should include

An EHCP should:

  • describe positively what the child or young person can do and has achieved
  • be clear, concise, understandable and accessible to parents, children, young people, providers and practitioners. It should be written so that it can be understood by professionals in any local authority
  • specify the required outcomes for the child or young person. The outcomes should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (SMART)
  • show how education, health and care provision will be co-ordinated wherever possible to support the child or young person to achieve their outcomes
  • show how the different types of provision contribute to specific outcomes
  • be forward looking. For example, anticipating, planning and commissioning for important transition points in a child or young person’s life, including planning and preparing for their transition to adult life
  • describe how informal support from family and community, as well as formal support from statutory agencies, can help in achieving agreed outcomes
  • have a review date. This should link to other regular reviews, including the child in need plan or child protection plan reviews if appropriate

It should be clear how the child or young person has contributed to the plan and how their views are reflected in it.

How the EHCP is set out

Section A: The views, interests and aspirations of the child and their parents or the young person

This section should include:

  • a summary of how to communicate with the child or young person and engage them in decision-making
  • information about their history
  • details about play, health, schooling, independence, friendships, further education and future plans including employment, where practical
  • details about their aspirations and goals for the future

Section B: The child or young person’s Special Educational Needs (SEN)

There should be details of all of the child or young person's identified Special Educational Needs (SEN). This may include needs for health and social care provision that are treated as special educational provision.

Section C: The child or young person’s health needs which relate to their SEN

There should be details of any health needs identified through the EHC needs assessment which relate to the child or young person's SEN.

Section D: The child or young person’s social care needs which relate to their SEN

There should be details of any social care needs identified through the EHC needs assessment that relate to the child or young person's SEN or needs that require provision if the child or young person is under the age of 18, under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

Section E: The outcomes sought for the child or the young person

An outcome is the benefit or difference made to the child or young person as a result of an intervention. The outcomes in the EHCP should:

  • be personal to the child or young person and not expressed from a service perspective
  • be something that the child or young person and those working with them have control and influence over
  • include a range of outcomes over varying timescales covering education, health and care
  • include information about what steps there are towards the child or young person achieving these outcomes

The outcomes do not always have to be formal or accredited, but they must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (SMART).

Section F: The special educational provision required by the child or young person

The provision in the child or young person's plan must be:

  • detailed, specific and quantified. For example, the type, hours and frequency of support and level of expertise
  • specified for each need, specified in section B

It should be clear how the provision will support the child or young person to achieve their outcomes.

Section G: Any health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN

The provision in the child or young person's plan must be detailed, specific and quantified. For example, the type of support and who will provide it.

Section H1: Any social care provision which must be made for a child or young person under 18 resulting from Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Person’s Act

The provision must be detailed, specific and quantified. For example, the type of support and who will provide it, including where this is to be secured through a social care direct payment.

Section H2: Any other social care provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN

This section details any other social care provision that is reasonably required. This includes services that are not provided under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Person’s Act.

Section I: The name and type of the school, early years setting or post-16 provision

This section will be left blank for you to tell us the name of the school, maintained nursery, post-16 institution or other institution that the child or young person would like to attend.

Section J: If there is a personal budget, the details of how the personal budget will support outcomes

This section includes any arrangements that we agree about direct payments, as required by education, health and social care regulations.

Section K: The advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment

This section details all the advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment.