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Education, health and care plans (EHCP)

Most children and young people with additional needs can be supported without an EHCP. Schools have a duty to put support in place to make sure their pupils with additional needs are learning and developing along with their classmates.  This is called SEN Support.

When a child's needs are more complex and can't be met by their nursery, school or college, you can then request an EHC assessment, to see if an EHC Plan is the next step.

What is an Education, Health and Care plan? (EHCP)

An education, health and care plan (EHCP) is a legally binding document that:

  • describes all of the special education, health and care needs of the child or young person which relate to their disability

  • sets out all of the extra help and support they will need to overcome barriers to learning

  • identifies meaningful education and other outcomes they would like to achieve as they prepare for adult life.

Need to contact us?

We have outlined how you can get in touch with us for any matters relating to the education, health and care plan process. This includes how to contact us depending on the urgency of your query, and what to do next if you don't hear back from us.


The EHCP process

1. Requesting an EHC assessment

This is usually done in partnership with your child or young person's educational setting, or if your child does not attend one, you could speak to your GP or health visitor.

2. Deciding whether an EHC assessment is needed

Not everyone meets the criteria for an EHC needs assessment. If we (Hertfordshire County Council) decide not to assess, we will let you know why.

3. What happens during the EHC assessment

Professionals such as teachers and health professionals provide information for the assessment. If it is concluded that special educational provision is needed to meet your child's needs, you will get an EHCP.

4. The EHCP document itself

We (Hertfordshire County Council) create EHCPs together with families. An EHCP should be a forward looking document, centred on your child's own future goals, and how they can achieve them.

5. Reviewing the EHCP

You will be offered a review of the EHCP at least once a year to ensure it stays up-to-date and continues to provide the best support your child or young person needs.  There are different types of review, if your child is aged between 0-5 for example, or if there's been a change in your circumstances such as changing schools.



Support for the EHCP process

Provide impartial and confidential information, advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Free and independent legal information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities.

Free, friendly independent and confidential telephone helpline for parents and others looking for information and advice on special educational needs and disabilities.

An independent and impartial advisor can help you to resolve disagreements in the EHCP process.

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But, doing this may stop you from using some of the online features and services on this website. 

Cookies we use

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Required functionality cookies – these cookies are essential for the website to work.

Performance and feature cookies – these cookies help to improve the performance and feel of this website, for example providing you with personalised services.


Take a look at a list of cookies we use on our website:

NameTypeHow we use itHow long we use the information for

ASP.Net_Sessions

 

Required functionality

An automatic cookie set by our software. 

Just for the time you are on our website.

ServerID

 

Required functionality

An automatic cookie set by our software. 

Just for the time you are on our website.

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Required functionality

To track the effectiveness of our website using Google Analytics. 

2 years

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Performance and feature

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1 month

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Performance and feature

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Just for the time you are on our website or 30 days (you choose this).

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Performance and feature

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Required functionality

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Third party cookies

There are links and content from other sites and services on our website. These sites and services set their own cookies.

Below are a list of cookies that the other sites and services use:

Service namePurposeMore information

Google analytics (_utma/b/c/z)

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Cookies of the same names are also used for the same purpose by other websites such as Building FuturesCountryside Management Service and Hertfordshire LIS.

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It expires at the end of your browser session.

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Google

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HotJar

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