Information about education, health and care needs assessments and education, health and care plans (EHCPs) for children and young people aged 0-25 years.
An easy read guide to the EHCP process can be downloaded here.
*** Special educational needs top up funding for pupils with Education Health and Care Plans. Staffordshire County Council Local Authority has introduced a new Education Banding Tool. This will support the special educational needs and disabilities team to calculate the education costs of the “top up” funding in a fair and consistent way. Learn more, here. ***
What is an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment and Plan?
'What is an education health and care needs assessment and plan' gives more information on:
- What is an Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment?
- What is and Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?
- What is the purpose of an EHCP?
- What happens to the information from the needs assessment?
- When is it necessary to conduct an Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment?
Requesting an education, health and care needs assessment
Our requesting an education, health and care needs assessment page contains information on:
- Who can request a needs assessment and how.
- How it is decided whether is it necessary to carry out an assessment.
- How long it will take.
- What to do if you disagree with the decision made.
EHC Hub Guides
Parents, Carers, Guardians and Young People
A guide for parents, carers, guardians and young people on using the EHC Hub is available below . It covers:
- requesting a needs assessment
- the assessment process
- an EHC Plan
- reviews
- contributing along the way, and more.
Parents Guide
In addition, a number of shorter user guides have been produced.
Hub Guidance - Account Registration
Hub Guidance - Managing My Account
Hub Guidance - Parents and Carers Requesting an EHC Needs Assessment
Hub Guidance - Parent and Carers contributing advice towards an EHC Needs Assessment
EHC Hub - Parent Carer Frequently Asked Questions
SENCos and Practitioners
Guides for SENCos and Practitioners can be found here.
Education, health and care needs assessment - process and timescales
See our education, health and care needs assessment - process and timescales page for more information on:
- What happens during the assessment process.
- How you will be involved.
- what information and advice is gathered
- decision to issue an Education Health and Care Plan
- what to do when you receive a draft Plan
- who will receive a copy
Personal budgets
Information on personal budgets includes:
- What is a personal budget?
- When can I request a personal budget?
- What services could I purchase?
- Our personal budget policy.
Annual reviews - assessing progress and outcomes
Our annual review factsheet contains information on:
- Being involved in the process.
- When it will take place and what it will cover.
- Who is invited to the meeting.
- What happens after the review.
- Transfer between phases of education.
- Preparing for adulthood.
- When a plan ceases.
Mediation and SEND Tribunals
Our mediation and SEND tribunals page contains information on:
- Being involved in the decision making.
- Resolving disputes.
- When can I use mediation?
- What if I want to appeal?
- SEND Tribunal.
- Single route of redress national trail
Global Mediation provides our mediation service.
SENDIASS can talk you through the options and support you through the process. This is a free, confidential and impartial service for parents, carers, children and young people.
SEND keyworker - contacts
Contacts for our SEND keyworkers.
Quality Standards and Process Map
A series of quality standards have been produced to support the quality of assessment for:
- those applying for an Education Health and Care Plan.
- those with Education Health and Care Plans, and
- those going through the annual review process.
A process map for Education Health and Care Needs Assessments and Plans is also available.