5th December 2025 • My Family Our Needs

Sometimes children need more support than what their school can provide, which is when an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) and potentially an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) come into play. Taken from our new South East Guide to SEND, we take you through the key steps of the process so you know what to expect and how to navigate each stage with confidence.

Our SEND Guide includes specific information and signposts to services and resources in the South East, however, this content is applicable to all areas in the UK.

Before seeking an EHCP, you should try to work with your child’s school to implement the graduated approach. The graduated approach exists to ensure children with SEND access early support when they need to and to prevent escalation. If you and/or the school feels you have exhausted your child’s school’s SEND support, the next step is to request an EHCNA from your local authority to determine whether an EHCP is needed.

What is an EHCNA and EHCP?

• EHCNA – an EHCNA, or Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment, is a statutory process that assesses a child’s or young person’s needs and considers what further provision may be appropriate to support them. The education assessment will cover all four areas of SEND as discussed on page 10.
• EHCP – an EHCP, or Education, Health and Care Plan, is a legally binding document that outlines a child’s or young person’s SEND needs. It brings together support from education, health and social care services, detailing the personalised support required to help them succeed and prepare for adulthood, beyond what is typically provided in mainstream settings. The local authority and all services named in the plan are legally obligated to provide the support specified in the EHCP. If there are no setbacks and the local authority agrees to assess your child and issue a plan, the whole process from initial request to final EHCP takes 20 weeks.

Caseworkers

For the duration of the process, your local authority should provide you with a point of contact on all letters you receive. This will be the primary contact for any questions or concerns related to the assessment and development of the EHCP. They can guide you through the process, explain the stages, co-ordinate with professionals and organise meetings with your child’s school. When the EHCP is in place, you should be assigned a named caseworker. The caseworker is responsible for ensuring the plan is properly implemented and will support you through any reviews or updates.

The EHCNA and EHCP process

Stage 1: Submitting an EHCNA request

Across all nine South East counties, an EHCNA can be requested by parents, carers, teachers or any other professional involved with your child. It can also be requested by a young person over the age of 16. While the overall process is similar nationally, the exact route and forms used can vary slightly by county. Generally, parents, carers or educational settings submit a written request to their local authority’s SEND team. This is usually done using a standard form; check your local authority’s Local Offer (details on page 96 of the Guide) and search ‘EHCP’. Supporting evidence is required. You should gather as much information as possible for a caseworker to collect. If you need further assistance gathering evidence or understanding the process, contact your local SENDIASS (details on page 97 of the Guide). Examples of evidence include:

• Professional reports – this could include reports from professionals like educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or paediatricians, including privately obtained reports.
• Diagnosis and medical reports – any diagnosis letters or reports from specialists and medical reports that explain your child’s conditions and its impact on their learning. Your child does not need to have a diagnosis in order to get an EHCP . However, if you do have details of a diagnosis available, you should include them as part of your application.
• School reports and work – request copies of your child’s school records and any reports from your child’s SENDCO . You can also submit copies of your child’s schoolwork with annotations from their teacher if it is relevant.
• Evidence of interventions – gather any provision maps or plans from the school that outline support being provided to your child and include your child’s progress, or lack thereof, in response to the support provided. This needs to include evidence that the school has completed at least two Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycles and evidence that the school has consulted with specialists and the recommendations have been implemented and reviewed. You will need to show that the school has fully utilised its available SEND resources.

If your child’s school refuses to implement SEND provision

It is better to work with the school if you can. However, if this is not possible, the school being unwilling to meet your child’s needs is not good enough evidence for an EHCP. You must make clear that even if they were willing, their SEND provision would not be enough for your child’s needs. Show how you’ve attempted to access their SEND resources. You can include the school’s SEND resources (available on the school website) and explain why this is not enough.

The SEND Code of Practice is a valuable resource for determining what support should be provided for your child and, if applicable, where it is not being met. You can speak to a SENDCO or seek to resolve the disagreement (read more on page 32 of the Guide) if you feel your child’s needs would be met with the school’s provision.

The EHCP process starts from the moment you submit your application. The local authority has six weeks to decide whether to proceed with a full EHCNA.

Stage 2: An EHCNA happens

If your local authority proceeds with an EHCNA, a caseworker must seek written advice from a range of people:

• You, as your child’s parent or as a young person.
• Educational advice (usually from the head teacher or principal).
• Medical advice and information from a healthcare professional.
• Psychological advice and information from an educational psychologist.
• Advice and information in relation to social care.
• Advice and information from any other person the local authority thinks appropriate.
• Where your child or young person is in Year 9 or beyond, advice and information in relation to provision to assist them in preparation for adulthood and independent living.
• Advice and information from any person you reasonably request that the local authority seek advice from.

If you would like any additional advice from any professional in education, health or social care (such as a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist), you must request it from a caseworker, as long as it is reasonable. A request would be considered reasonable where, for example, a child has been identified as needing an assessment already and they are on a waiting list, or where the school, college or other professional has said this advice may be needed.

The local authority may not go out of their way to collect any more documentation than you request. It is essential that you know what
professionals can be involved so you are able to consider all options. Read more on page 15, 25 and page 68 of the Guide.

The local authority is responsible for collecting all further evidence you request. They will reach out to all professionals you request advice from. Professionals must reply within six weeks. They may give advice on your child’s needs, the provision needed to meet those needs, and the results
expected from that provision from records alone, wherein the evidence will be sent straight to your local authority. In some cases, they may reach out to you to arrange an assessment of your child.

All advice is then considered by your local authority panel to decide whether to issue an EHCP. Your local authority must tell you whether they will be issuing an EHCP by week 16.

Stage 3: A draft EHCP is issued

Your local authority’s SEND team writes your child’s EHCP. A draft plan is sent back to you for review and any feedback or changes you may have. Be sure you understand your rights and how to respond. You or your young person will have a specified period for review of at least 15 days. You can submit comments (known as representations) about the draft and request a meeting with your local authority.

Ensure the plan accurately reflects your child’s needs, strengths and the support they require and make a note of anything that is missing. Once you agree on the draft plan, a caseworker will apply to the current or named school to seek its views on meeting the requirements identified within the draft plan. Your local authority will consider the feedback and make any necessary changes before finalising the EHCP.

This is also the time you can suggest specific educational settings for your child to be named in the final plan. You have a right to request any school, including mainstream, specialist or independent, however your local authority may not agree to your choice of setting. Your local authority should consult with your preferred schools and may also consult with other settings that they feel are most appropriate to meet your child’s needs. The schools have 15 days to respond. Read more about types of schools and what happens if a suitable school can’t be found on page 43 of the Guide.

Stage 4: The EHCP is issued

You will receive a final EHCP by week 20 and the support for your child will be put in place. If you’re not happy with the final plan, you have options to resolve any issues or make an appeal.