EHCP - Education, Health and Care Plans Guidance

In Middlesbrough, the majority of children with special educational needs and disability(SEND) will have their needs met in the child's local mainstream school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. In some cases, children attend specialist bases in mainstream schools or special schools depending upon the needs of the individual child.

The Council's provision for SEND is under ongoing review in order to ensure that we can monitor changing needs and aim to provide local provision for local children and young people.

Education, Health and Care Plans

With effect from 1st September 2014, any new statutory assessment of SEN covers a child's education, health and care needs (EHC assessment). In all cases, children must be identified as having a special educational need to have an EHC assessment. The assessment will be coordinated by the Local Authority's Special Educational Needs 0-25 Assessment Team.

The new pathway for children and young people who require an assessment of their Education, Health and Care needs will determine whether or not an Education Health & Care Plan is necessary to meet needs. The majority of children and young people with SEN can have their needs met with a non-statutory SEN Support Plan.

More information about the pathway is contained in the downloadable 'EHCP Pathway Guidance' document.

Timescales for making assessments & issuing Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

The process of EHC assessment and EHC plan development must be carried out in a timely manner.  Local authorities should ensure that they have planned sufficient time for each step of the process, so that wherever possible, any issues or disagreements can be resolved within the statutory timescales. The diagram to the right of the page sets out the statutory timescales and decision points for the process of EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development that local authorities must adhere to.

You can view and download any relevant guidance and documents from the 'Downloads' box on the right hand side of this page --->>

You can also view and download 'Annual Review' documents from here.