Education Health and Care Plans
This page brings together trusted information, tools, and guidance to help families understand and navigate the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. Resources are grouped by stage, from making an initial request through to annual reviews and implementation.
Requesting an EHC Needs Assessment (ECHNA)
Before requesting an ECHNA: Guidance on what to do if you think your child may have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).
What do I do if I think my child has a SEN(D)? | Shropshire Council
If your child has SEND - what happens next?: Explains next steps when a child has been identified as having SEND.
My child has SEN - what happens next? | Shropshire Council
ECHNA eligibility criteria: Sets out the criteria used to decide whether an assessment will go ahead.
What is the criteria for an education health care needs assessment (ECHNA)? | Shropshire Council
ECHNA statutory timescales: A visual guide from SENDIASS mapping the statutory timelines for assessments and plans.
Download: Statutory timescales for ECHNA & EHCP development
20-week ECHNA process: Overview of the local authority’s statutory 20-week process.
[20-week educational health and care needs assessment process | Shropshire Council
Parent carer guide to ECHNAs: Contact’s advice and guidance for families requesting an assessment.
Download: EHC Needs Assessments (Contact)
Making a request for an ECHNA: IPSEA resources, including a template letter you can use.
Template letter 1: Asking for an EHC needs assessment | IPSEA
Requesting an EHCP for a Child in Custody Template letter for asking for an EHC needs assessment for a child or young person in custody.
If Your ECHNA Request Is Refused
IPSEA refusal to assess pack: Guidance and links to support an appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
Download: Refusal to Assess Pack | IPSEA
IPSEA refusal to issue pack: Help if an EHCP is not issued following assessment.
Download: Refusal to Issue Pack | IPSEA
Mediation (Local Offer): How to proceed with mediation, and who to contact locally.
Mediation | Shropshire Council
Mediation (IPSEA): Details on what can be mediated, how the process works, and when it applies.
SEND Tribunal: Information on the SEND Tribunal process, with IASS contact details for local support.
Special Education Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) | Shropshire Council
Shropshire SENDIASS | SEND help Shropshire
Appeal application form: The official form to apply for an appeal.
Download: SEND35A – Application for appeal (refusal to assess)
Checking a Draft EHCP
EHCP checklist: IPSEA’s legal compliance checklist to help review a draft plan.
Relevant legislation: Section 38 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Children and Families Act 2014
Statutory timescales: Regulations covering draft EHCP timescales.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
EHCP Contents
Social Care and EHCPs: A guide to understanding social care and how it links to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Includes advice on how social care should appear in Sections H1 and H2 of an EHCP.
Social Care Services | Shropshire SENDIASS
Council for Disabled Children Summary PDF Explains Part 3’s duties, including EHC planning, strategic responsibilities, and guiding principles.
Annual Reviews
Annual review process (Local Offer): What happens at an annual review in Shropshire.
EHCP annual reviews | Shropshire Council
Annual review explained: Parent carer-friendly guidance from Contact.
Annual review video: Explainer video from the Council for Disabled Children.
What is an Annual Review of an EHC plan? | CDC
Preparation for adulthood: Template document to be included from Year 9 onwards.
Implementing an EHCP
Enforcing Section F (education provision): IPSEA guidance and template letters if provision in Section F isn’t being delivered.
Enforcing your EHC plan: special educational provision (Section F) | IPSEA
Enforcing Section G (health provision): Explains health commissioners’ duties to deliver provision in Section G.
Enforcing your EHC plan: health care provision (Section G) | IPSEA
Enforcing Section H (social care provision): Outlines duties for under-18s (H1) and over-18s (H2).
Enforcing your EHC plan: social care provision (Section H) | IPSEA
If a school isn’t following the EHCP: Scope guidance on raising concerns and working with the SENCo.
If school is not following an EHCP | Scope
Requesting a review: How parent carers can request a review if progress or provision is not being met.