If you've started looking into EHCPs, the chances are you've already been fighting for your child for a while. You've noticed they need more support than they're getting, you've had conversations with the school that didn't quite land, and somewhere along the way someone mentioned three letters: E, H, C, P.
The trouble is that almost everything written about EHCPs is either dense legal language or government guidance that assumes you already understand the system. So here's a clear, human explanation of what an EHCP actually is, who can get one, and how the process really works, without the jargon.
An EHCP, or Education, Health and Care Plan, is a legal document for children and young people up to the age of 25 who need more support than their school can provide through its usual resources.
The key word is legal. Unlike informal support a school might offer, an EHCP is legally binding. It sets out your child's needs, the specific support they must receive, and the outcomes that support is working towards, and the local authority is legally obliged to provide what's written in it. That's what makes it so valuable, and so worth understanding properly.
EHCPs are for children whose special educational needs are significant enough that they can't be met through the standard support available in mainstream school, known as SEN Support.
This might include children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, physical disabilities, or a combination of needs. Importantly, eligibility isn't based on a particular diagnosis. It's based on need, and specifically on whether your child needs more support than the school can ordinarily provide.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, a local authority must carry out an EHC needs assessment if a child may have special educational needs and may need an EHCP to meet them. That word 'may' matters. The legal threshold for getting an assessment is deliberately low, which means you do not need to prove your child definitely qualifies before requesting one. You only need to show it's a reasonable possibility.
The full process is governed by legal timeframes, which is reassuring once you know them. Here's how it unfolds:
The entire process, from request to final plan, must legally be completed within 20 weeks. In practice, delays happen, but knowing the statutory timeline gives you grounds to push back when things stall.
You don't need to wait for the school to act. As a parent, you have the right to request an assessment directly from your local authority, and a child's school or even the young person themselves (if over 16) can also make the request.
A request is usually a written letter or form to the local authority's SEN department. The stronger your evidence, the better: include reports from the school, any professional assessments, letters from your GP or paediatrician, and clear examples of how your child's needs affect them day to day.
An EHCP is divided into sections labelled A to K. Most parents never need to memorise them, but one section is worth knowing about: Section F. This is where the specific provision your child must receive is set out, and it's the part that is legally enforceable.
Section F often includes specified hours of specialist support, and in many cases that includes one-to-one tutoring. This matters enormously, because when tutoring is named in an EHCP, families can choose the provider that best fits their child. Our specialist SEN tutoring is designed to deliver exactly this kind of tailored, one-to-one provision.
Plenty of EHCP requests are turned down at the first attempt, and this is where many families give up. They shouldn't. A significant proportion of appeals to the SEND Tribunal succeed, which tells you that initial refusals are frequently overturned. If you're refused, you have the right to appeal, and a refusal is very often the beginning of the process rather than the end of it.
Navigating the EHCP system can feel like a second job, on top of everything else you're already carrying. Be persistent, document everything, and don't be discouraged by a slow start or an initial 'no'. The support your child is entitled to is worth the effort it takes to secure it. And if an EHCP names tutoring as part of your child's provision, we're here to help you put it in place.
An EHCP, or Education, Health and Care Plan, is a legally binding document setting out the special educational needs of a child or young person up to age 25, the support they must receive, and the outcomes that support is working towards.
Children whose special educational needs can't be met through standard school support. Eligibility is based on need rather than a specific diagnosis.
By law, the process from initial request to final plan must be completed within 20 weeks, though delays sometimes occur in practice.
Yes. Parents can request an EHC needs assessment directly from their local authority. Schools and young people over 16 can also make the request.
You have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. A significant proportion of appeals succeed, so an initial refusal is often not the end of the process.
Yes. Section F of an EHCP sets out specific provision, which can include specified hours of one-to-one specialist tutoring. When tutoring is named, families can usually choose their provider.
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