Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC Plans)

An Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHC Plan) describes your child’s special educational needs (SEN) and the help they will get to meet them. An EHC Plan also includes any health and care provision that is needed. It is a legal document, written by the Local Authority, and is intended to ensure that children and young people with an EHC Plan receive the support they need.

EHC Plans replaced Statements of Special Educational Need and Section 139 Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs) on 1 September 2014.

EHC Plans are for children and young people who need more support than their school or other setting can provide. The Plans can start from a child’s birth and continue into further education and training.

The SEND Code of Practice says:

The purpose of an EHC plan is to make special educational provision to meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care and, as they get older, prepare them for adulthood. (9.2)