Children and young people up to the age of 25 who need additional support to that which is provided as standard are entitled to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. This essentially identifies any educational, health and social needs and sets out the additional support required to meet those needs. In particular, it may entitle the child or young person to a personal budget that helps with their needs.
There is no set format for an EHC plan, however, it must have the following, clearly labelled sections:
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the views, interests and aspirations of the parents and the child
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the child’s special educational needs (SEN)
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the child’s health needs related to SEN
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the child’s social care needs related to SEN
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the outcomes, setting out how the extra help will benefit the child
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the special educational provision and support
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the health provision
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the social care provision
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the child’s placement (ie the type and name of the school or other institution)
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personal budget arrangements
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advice and information (ie a list of the information gathered during the EHC needs assessment)
Parents and young people aged between 16 and 25 themselves can request an EHC plan from their local authority. A request can also be made by other relevant parties (eg teachers, doctors or family friends). The local authority will then decide whether to make a plan within 16 weeks. An appeal can be made to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal if a party wishes to challenge the outcome.
For more information on SEND, see the government's guidance.