Test
What is an Education Health and Care Plan? Test
Information and guidance for parent carers about Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: A Guide for Parent Carers
An EHC plan brings the child or young person's education, health and social care needs into a single, legal document. An EHC Plan will include:
- The views, interests and aspirations of the children and young people and their parent carer
- An outline of the child or young person’s special educational need
- Outcomes covering education, health and social care
- The special educational provision needed to support the child or young person
- The name and type of current education setting
- Resource attached to the Plan
- Personal budget information if applicable
EHCP Explained
EHC Assessment Timeline
Moving Forward Meeting
What is a Moving Forward Meeting?
There are three scenarios within the 20 week timeline where you may be invited to a moving forward meeting.
- At week 6 where the Local Authority has not agreed to an Education Health and Care needs assessment.
- Between week 12 and 16 where the Local Authority has said No to issuing an Education Health and Care plan
(after the assessment has occurred). - Between week 12 and 16 where the Local Authority has agreed to issue an Education Health and Care plan.
You will only need to attend a moving forward meeting on one of these occasions, unless the local authority changes a decision.
If the Local Authority does not agree to an EHC assessment or does not issue an EHC plan following an assessment, the Moving Forward Meeting will be an opportunity for you to discuss the decision with your SEND Officer and your child or young person’s education setting. At this meeting the local authority will work with you to agree actions with your child’s setting, this will be recorded in a Moving Forward Agreement, so that you understand the support that will be put in place.
If the local authority does agree to issue an Education Health and Care plan the Moving Forward Meeting will provide an opportunity for you to co-produce your child or young person’s plan. The meeting will be led by the SEND Officer. It will generally be held at the child’s educational setting or virtually on Microsoft Teams. The professionals who were part of the assessment may be in attendance to provide additional advice and support. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions, clarify anything you are not sure about and help shape what is written in the plan.
SEND Criteria Documents
Eligibility criteria for an EHCP
Cognition and Learning Eligibility Criteria
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (Chapter 9.16) allows Local Authorities to develop criteria for deciding whether to undertake a statutory assessment for an EHC plan. The criteria are flexible, adaptable and not applied as a blanket policy. Whilst the criteria are used to support decision making, each case is considered individually. At all times the local authority applies the statutory tests as described in section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014 to determine the appropriateness of a request for an EHC assessment of need.
| CL1 | Despite graduated school support, the pupil requires higher level specialist resourcing which is different from and additional to the SEN core offer, to access the full curriculum. |
| CL2 | Extreme difficulties in accessing the curriculum through reading and writing, despite the use of a range of alternative methods. |
| CL3 | It is likely that there will be evidence that external professionals such as advisory teachers, Educational Psychologists, have been involved in carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the pupil’s strengths and difficulties. They will have advised on the pupil’s plan. The impact of these strategies and interventions will have been evaluated over time (at least one term) and resulted in minimal progress. |
| CL4 | Telford and Wrekin adhere to the British Psychological Society’s definition of Dyslexia (1999):- ‘Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading and/or spelling develops very incompletely or with great difficulty. This focuses on literacy at the word level and implies that the problem is severe and persistent despite appropriate learning opportunities.’ |
| CL5 | The pupil may have general learning difficulties and attainments that are recorded at the 1st percentiles or lower for a range of skills, using standardised assessment. |
| CL6 | The pupil’s rate of progress will be consistently low relative to their cognitive ability |
| Assessment, Planning and Review | |
| CL7 | It is likely that there will be evidence that the level of professional input such as advisory teachers, educational psychologists have been on a regular basis. |
| CL8 | It is likely that there has been a successive programme of advice from external agencies implemented over time |
| CL9 | Consideration has taken place whether it is appropriate to support the family and child’s needs through the CAF and TAC process. |
| Grouping for Teaching | |
| CL10 | It is likely that the pupil has to access considerable additional targeted teaching in small groups or individually for at least half the day. |
| CL11 | The extent of additional and different organisation required is in excess of what would normally be provided in school provision i.e. as specified within the Local Offer. |
| Curriculum and Teaching Methods | |
| CL12 | Access to higher levels of differentiation normally provided within SEN support |
| CL13 | Access to teaching of specific targeted skills using evidence based interventions such as Precision Teaching 1:1 daily, Toe by Toe, Beat Dyslexia small group 20 mins, 2x/week, Nessy-individual 20mins 3x/week. |
| Human Resources | |
| CL14 | SENCO or specialist teacher to provide appropriate set targets for individual. |
| CL15 | Access to evidence based teaching programmes for literacy, numeracy and general learning difficulties. |
Communication and Learning Eligibility Criteria
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (Chapter 9.16) allows Local Authorities to develop criteria for deciding whether to undertake a statutory assessment for an EHC plan. The criteria are flexible, adaptable and not applied as a blanket policy. Whilst the criteria are used to support decision making, each case is considered individually. At all times the local authority applies the statutory tests as described in section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014 to determine the appropriateness of a request for an EHC assessment of need.
| CI1 | Despite graduated school support, the pupil requires higher level specialist resourcing which is different from and additional to the SEN core offer, to access the full curriculum. |
| SLCN | |
| CI2 | Receptive and expressive language skills within the 1st and 2nd percentiles indicating a severe language delay or disorder. |
| CI3 | Significant difficulties understanding others. |
| CI4 | Significant difficulties communicating their thoughts and ideas with others. |
| CI5 | Significant interaction difficulties as a result of their speech and language communication challenges. |
| Autistic Spectrum Disorder: ASD | |
| CI6 | High levels of social isolation which prevents the establishment of consistent relationships with peers and /or adults. |
| CI7 | Highly atypical behaviours such as obsessive, challenging or withdrawn to the extent that it prevents their inclusion in a well planned and supported curriculum. |
| CI8 | Consistently unable to adapt to changes in routines in well planned time tables including highly differentiated class/subject teaching. |
| CI9 | Significant difficulties with social interaction |
| CI10 | Presentation of high levels of anxiety associated with ASD that prevents access to curriculum and engagement with peers. |
| CI11 | Problems with language communication and imagination that impacts on engagement with peers and adult |
Supporting evidence will include
| Assessment, Planning and Review | |
| CI12 | Evidence that over time regular TACs have been held with the family/carers and external professionals (meetings between school and parents do not constitute a TAC but can be appended to next TAC). Action plans have been implemented and evaluated. |
| CI13 | It is likely that there will professional input such as SALT, Advisory Teachers; Educational Psychologists; social worker; CAMHS workers etc has been on a regular basis |
| C14 | It is likely that there has been a successive programme of advice in relation to communication and interaction /Autism from external agencies implemented over time. |
| CI15 | Systematic monitoring of students progress show that the interventions and provision is having a limited impact. |
| Grouping for Teaching | |
| CI16 | The school SEND offer is clear and accessible to all students parents/communities. |
| CI17 | The pupil has access to considerable additional targeted teaching in small groups or individually for the significant part of each day.. |
| CI18 | The extent of additional and different organisation required is in excess of what would normally be made from school provision through the graduated response i.e. is within the higher needs bracket above 15 hours support per week. |
| CI19 | Some pupils may have needs that are better met through more specialist provision such as SALTIS, advice from Outreach service, advisory teacher (ASD) service or educational psychology service |
| Curriculum and Teaching Methods | |
| CI20 | Curriculum access through the usual mainstream groupings may not be appropriate for most areas of the academic curriculum. |
| CI21 | Extensive individualised programmes will be required to support the pupil’s social and emotional, communication and sensory needs. |
| CI22 | This may involve the use of autism-specific teaching techniques or alternative communication methods supported by appropriate equipment and materials. This should include Autism Environment Audit. |
| CI23 | Teaching interventions will be part of a multidisciplinary approach e.g. SALT, OT. Programmes may include:- Language Steps, Language Land, Listen with Lucy, Teaching Talking, Secondary Talk, Build to Express, Social Stories. |
| Human Resources | |
| CI24 | There is strong evidence that there is a whole school approach to meeting the needs of the pupil with communication and interaction difficulties / Autism i.e. Autism policy; strategic aims; development of in-house provision; commitment to training in this area. |
| CI25 | The SENCo should lead on assessment, planning and evaluation in liaison with pastoral staff and external professionals. |
| CI26 | Teachers/TAs with additional qualifications in SEND and experience of working with pupils with social communication difficulties or Autism are likely to be involved in providing for the pupil. |
| CI27 | There is consistent active parent/carer involvement in programmes offered to support them and their child e.g. EarlyBird, EarlyBird Plus, Cygnets. |
| CI28 | Opportunities for parents to access parent support groups. e.g. PODs, STAR Group. |
Social Emotional and Mental Health Eligibility Criteria
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (Chapter 9.16) allows Local Authorities to develop criteria for deciding whether to undertake a statutory assessment for an EHC plan. The criteria are flexible, adaptable and not applied as a blanket policy. Whilst the criteria are used to support decision making, each case is considered individually. At all times the local authority applies the statutory tests as described in section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014 to determine the appropriateness of a request for an EHC assessment of need.
| SEMH 1 | Despite graduated school support, the pupil requires higher level specialist resourcing which is different from and additional to the SEND core offer, to access the full curriculum. |
| SEMH 2 | The pupil will have very limited access to the curriculum due to the significant, challenging behaviours they present. |
| SEMH 3 | These behaviours may be associated with a mental health condition. |
| SEMH 4 | There will be evidence of extreme, complex emotional and behavioural difficulties of considerable duration and frequency in a variety of school situations, resulting in adverse consequences for pupil and severely affecting other pupils and adults in a detrimental way (e.g. unpredictable, bizarre, obsessive, violent, dangerous or severely disruptive behaviour). |
| SEMH 5 | Extreme complex emotional behaviour difficulties can also include severe self-harming and avoidance of social interaction. |
Supporting evidence will include
| Assessment, Planning and Review | |
| SEMH 6 | Evidence that over time regular TACs have been held with the family/carers and external professionals (meetings between school and parents do not constitute a TAC but can be appended to next TAC). Action plans have been implemented and evaluated. |
| SEMH 7 | Evidence that the family in which the child resides has received support from Early Help and Family Intervention Practitioners It is likely that there will be professional input such as Advisory Teachers; Educational Psychologists; Social workers; CAMHS workers etc has been on a regular basis. |
| SEMH 8 | There has been a successive programme of advice from external agencies implemented over time. |
| SEMH 9 | Systematic monitoring of students progress show that the interventions and provision is having a limited impact. |
| Grouping for Teaching | |
| SEMH 10 | The pupil has access to considerable additional targeted teaching in small groups or individually for the greater part of each day. |
| SEMH 11 | The extent of additional and different organisation required is in excess of what would normally be provided in school provision i.e. as specified within the Local Offer |
| SEMH 12 | Some pupils may have needs that are better met through more specialist provision either for a short term measure or long term placement. |
| Curriculum and Teaching Methods | |
| SEMH 13 | Additional activities and different activities will be required to retain the pupil’s application and interest in the curriculum. |
| SEMH 14 | Alternative programmes of study should be provided using or setting up facilities within the school or off site provision where appropriate. |
| SEMH 15 | Extended individualised programmes of study, behaviour and emotional support will be required to access the curriculum. Interventions and support may include circle of friends, SEAL materials, peer mentoring, counselling support, visual timetables, individual learning passports, Build to Express. |
| Human Resources | |
| SEMH 16 | The SENCo should lead on assessment, planning and evaluation in liaison with pastoral staff and external professional |
| SEMH 17 | Teachers/TAs with additional qualifications and/or experience of pupils with very significant emotional and behavioural difficulties are involved in providing for the pupil. |
| SEMH 18 | Multiagency direct involvement is in place for pupils with substantial support from visiting specialists. |
| SEMH 19 | There is strong evidence that there is a whole school approach to meeting the needs of the pupil with social, emotional and behavioural needs i.e. behaviour policy; strategic aims; development of in-house provision; commitment to training in this area. |
| SEMH 20 | There is consistent active parent/carer involvement in programmes offered to support them and their child i.e. Incredible years; Lets get Cooking; Why weight? |
EHCNA request Form for parent carers and young people
Please contact the SEND Team if you require an electronic version of this form.
To help us gather as much information as possible please can you complete the parental request form, however if you do not wish to do so you can write to our SEND team to formally request an education, health and care needs assessment.