EHCP Process
As an Assessment Nursery part of our role is to assess a childs needs. Some children might need additional help or support in school through an Education, Health and Care Plan . This is also known as an EHCP.
An EHCP is a legal document which sets out the support a child needs, and is entitled to. It combines information from Education, as well as Health and Social Care if applicable to your child.
The EHCP is reviewed each year and parents are involved in this review process. IFf they continue to need the EHCP it can stay with them until they are 25 to support them into further education.
The EHCP stays with a child until they 25 years old, but it is reviewed annually and changes can be made at this review.
A child may need an EHCP if they have additional needs in one of 4 areas
- Communicating and interacting
- Cognition & Learning
- Social, emotion and mental health difficulties
- Sensory and/or Physical needs
There is guidance and criteria which determines if a child can access an EHCP plan under one or more of these 4 areas.
If your child needs a place at a special school then they will need an EHCP. Some children have an EHCP but access mainstream schools.
If you child does not need an EHCP for school, there may be other forms of support that are more appropriate. Some children can access a ‘Profile of Strengths & Difficulties’ and we can talk to you about these if we feel this is most appropriate for your child.
If your child attends our Nursery we will talk with you at a TAC meeting about their levels, next steps and what support they will need going in to school. We can talk about the criteria for an EHCP and if your child meets this criteria.
If together we decide to move forward with an EHCP request we will discuss this with Pre-School Forum. Pre school forum have to agree that the EHCP is the most appropriate support for the child and from there we can request a panel date from Pre-School Forum. We will lead on the EHCP request and collate all the information from different professionals. As part of this we will invite you in to do your ‘Family Conversation’ – this is a really important part of the process as it’s when you can include your views and thoughts for your family.
Once the EHCP request has gone to panel and been approved you will be allocated a caseworker and work begins on the draft EHCP.
From the panel date to the final EHCP, the whole process should be completed in 20 weeks.
View the flowchart of timescales for Worcestershire Children’s First (pdf) here
As an assessment Nursery our staff are experienced in identifying children who need an EHCP for school and also in navigating the system so don’t worry we will help you through the process!
Information from the Local Authority
What is an EHCP? | SEND Education Provision | Worcestershire County Council
Here is a short video about EHCP’s What is an Education, Health and Social Care (EHC) plan? (updated 2019) – YouTube
Information from SENDIASS
SEND, Support & EHCPs Information – SENDIASS Worcestershire and Herefordshire (hwsendiass.co.uk)
