How to Get an EHCP: Working With Your Local Authority, Step by Step

A welcoming Redbourn Park School setting with green outdoor space

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than can normally be provided through SEN Support. It describes a child’s special educational needs, the provision required to meet those needs, and the outcomes they are working towards.

The process is managed by your local authority’s SEND team. Families, schools and professionals all contribute to the assessment. A clear, respectful partnership can help ensure that the local authority receives the information it needs and that the plan reflects the child as an individual.

This guide explains the process in England, including the statutory 20-week timeline.

What an EHCP can provide

An EHCP may be appropriate when a child’s needs affect their ability to access education and the support ordinarily available in school is not enough.

This may include children with:

  • Autism;
  • Social, emotional and mental health needs;
  • Complex learning needs;
  • Communication and interaction needs;
  • Sensory or physical needs;
  • Multiple or overlapping needs.

An EHCP is based on the child’s needs, not on a diagnosis alone. The important information is how those needs affect learning, communication, attendance, emotional wellbeing, relationships, independence and participation in school life.

A plan may specify:

  • The child’s special educational needs;
  • The special educational provision required;
  • Health or social care provision that supports education and wellbeing;
  • Intended outcomes;
  • The educational setting named in the plan.

The SEND Code of Practice provides the statutory guidance for the process.

Step 1: Speak with the school and gather information

Begin by arranging a meeting with the school’s special educational needs coordinator, or SENCo. The SENCo can help you understand:

  • What support is currently in place;
  • How your child responds to that support;
  • What progress they are making;
  • Which professionals are involved;
  • What further assessment may be helpful.

A school request can be useful because the school can provide records of attendance, learning, support strategies, progress and changes over time. However, a parent or carer can also request an EHC needs assessment directly from the local authority. A young person aged 16 to 25 may be able to make their own request.

It is helpful to prepare a short evidence file. Include:

  • School reports and individual support plans;
  • Examples of work or observations;
  • Attendance information, where relevant;
  • Reports from health or social care professionals;
  • Details of adjustments and interventions already tried;
  • Information about what helps your child feel safe and ready to learn;
  • Your child’s views, strengths, interests and aspirations;
  • Your own observations from home and community settings.

Focus on specific examples. For instance, explain what happens when your child is asked to move between activities, join a group, manage sensory input or complete an unfamiliar task. Describe the effect on learning and wellbeing, along with the support that has helped.

A small group working together around notes and planning materials

Step 2: Make a written request for an EHC needs assessment

The first formal stage is a request for an EHC needs assessment. This is not yet a request for a particular school. It asks the local authority to gather information and decide whether an EHCP is needed.

Your request should clearly state:

“I am requesting an EHC needs assessment under Section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014.”

Include:

  • Your child’s full name, date of birth and school;
  • Your contact details;
  • A summary of their needs;
  • The effect of those needs on education and wellbeing;
  • Support that has already been provided;
  • Why that support has not been sufficient;
  • Reports or other evidence;
  • Your child’s views and aspirations;
  • The outcomes you would like the assessment to consider.

Send the request to the relevant local authority SEND or EHC team. Check the authority’s current instructions, as forms and submission routes may change.

Families in the local area can find further information through the SEND services for Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.

Keep a copy of the request and ask for confirmation that it has been received. The statutory timeline normally begins when the local authority receives the request.

Step 3: The local authority decides whether to assess

The local authority should decide within six weeks whether to carry out an EHC needs assessment.

The decision should be based on the information available, including:

  • Your child’s special educational needs;
  • Their progress and access to education;
  • The support already provided;
  • The expected impact of further special educational provision;
  • The views of the child, family and education setting.

If the local authority agrees to assess, it will request advice from relevant people. This may include the school, educational psychology, health professionals, social care and the family.

If the local authority decides not to assess, it should explain the reasons and provide information about its decision and any available rights of appeal. You can also ask the school or SEND Information, Advice and Support Service for help in understanding the next steps.

Step 4: Take part in the needs assessment

The assessment is an opportunity to provide a rounded picture of your child.

A useful contribution is balanced and specific. Include:

  • What your child can do;
  • What they enjoy and are motivated by;
  • When they are most able to learn;
  • The barriers they experience;
  • The adjustments that have been effective;
  • The support they need from adults;
  • Their longer-term hopes.

Ask your child how they would like to contribute. Some children communicate their views through conversation, drawing, photographs, assisted communication or observations. Their participation should be appropriate to their age and understanding.

Professionals should describe the provision needed in practical terms. This might include the type of teaching, frequency of support, communication approaches, sensory adjustments, therapy input, staffing or specialist resources.

Step 5: Review the draft EHCP

If the local authority decides to issue an EHCP, it will send you a draft plan. You should have at least 15 calendar days to comment and to express a preference for a school or type of school.

Read the draft carefully. Check that it accurately describes:

  • Your child’s needs in Section B;
  • The provision required in Section F;
  • Health and social care information where relevant;
  • Specific outcomes;
  • The proposed educational setting in Section I.

It is helpful to compare each identified need with the provision proposed. If the plan says that your child needs support with communication, emotional regulation or sensory processing, the provision should explain what will be provided, by whom, how often and in what setting.

At this stage, you can also express a preference for a specialist school or other suitable setting. The local authority will consult the school. A specialist placement is considered according to the child’s needs, the provision set out in the plan and the suitability of the setting. An EHCP does not automatically mean that a particular school will be named, so it is useful to explain clearly why a setting may be appropriate.

Visiting schools and speaking with their admissions or inclusion teams can help families understand the available provision. You can explore Redbourn Park School’s two sites and approach as part of your research.

Step 6: The final EHCP is issued

The local authority should issue the final EHCP within 20 weeks of receiving the original request, subject to limited legal exceptions.

The final plan should be shared with you and the named setting. Once issued, it becomes the document that guides the educational provision for your child.

If circumstances change significantly, the plan can be reviewed outside the usual annual cycle. Discuss this with the school and the local authority if the current provision no longer reflects your child’s needs.

Understanding the 20-week timeline

The main stages are:

  • Week 0: The local authority receives the request for an EHC needs assessment;
  • By week 6: The authority decides whether to assess;
  • Weeks 6 to 16: Advice and evidence are gathered;
  • Around weeks 14 to 16: A draft EHCP is issued if the authority intends to make a plan;
  • At least 15 days: The family comments on the draft and expresses a school preference;
  • By week 20: The final EHCP is issued.

The 20 weeks are calendar weeks. School holidays do not normally pause the statutory timetable.

A simple tracking document can help. Record:

  • The date the request was sent;
  • The date it was acknowledged;
  • Key deadlines;
  • Professionals contacted;
  • Documents provided;
  • Questions awaiting a response;
  • Copies of correspondence.

If a date is approaching, a positive follow-up email is appropriate:

Dear [name],

I am contacting you to check the current stage of [child’s name]’s EHC needs assessment. Our request was received on [date].

Please could you confirm the next planned step and any information still needed from our family? We are happy to provide further evidence or arrange a conversation if helpful.

Kind regards,
[name]

This keeps communication clear and gives the SEND team an opportunity to explain the next step.

Step 7: Prepare for the annual review

An EHCP must be reviewed at least every 12 months. The school usually arranges the meeting and invites the family, child and relevant professionals.

The review should consider:

  • Progress towards outcomes;
  • Whether the provision remains suitable;
  • Changes in need;
  • The child’s views and aspirations;
  • The next stage of education;
  • Any changes needed to the plan or placement.

Following the meeting, the local authority should notify the family of its decision. It may maintain the plan, amend it or cease it. If changes are proposed, the family should have an opportunity to comment.

Working in partnership with the SEND team

Families and local authorities share the same practical aim: to understand the child’s needs and identify suitable support.

You can help the process by:

  • Keeping communication factual and focused on the child;
  • Responding to requests within the stated timescale;
  • Sharing important changes promptly;
  • Asking for clarification when wording is unclear;
  • Keeping the school and professionals informed;
  • Bringing your child’s strengths and preferences into every discussion;
  • Recording agreed actions and dates after meetings.

If you are looking for special educational needs support in Bedfordshire, or researching SEN schools in Hertfordshire and SEMH schools in Hertfordshire, an EHCP can provide a structured way to explain what your child requires. Families considering alternative provision in Hertfordshire can also explore whether a flexible education, therapy or outreach package is appropriate while longer-term arrangements are considered.

Exploring specialist education and intervention

For children who already have an EHCP, Redbourn Park offers specialist education across two sites: Grovehill for KS2 and Gaddesden for KS3 and KS4. Provision is designed for children with autism, SEMH and complex needs, with education, wellbeing and therapeutic support considered together.

For children who are not currently accessing school successfully, Redbourn Roots provides planned alternative provision, tutoring, therapy, wellbeing activities and outreach across KS2 to KS4. Referrals may come from families, schools or the local authority, subject to suitability and availability.

If you would like to discuss a possible placement or intervention package, contact the relevant team with your child’s current EHCP, reports and recent information from school. A conversation can help establish whether the provision may be suitable and what the next step should be.