At the moment, due to funding, we are only able to work with young people with an Education Health Care Plan, often referred to as an EHCP. The process for getting an EHCP can often be complicated and feel like quite a journey for your family and young person. It doesn’t have to be, but you do need to know what you’re doing before you start out.  

The process from start to finish will not happen overnight, and in many cases may not be easy to navigate. In some cases, you may not even be successful in getting an EHCP, but that should never put you off trying. If you understand this from the beginning and keep hold of this throughout then it’ll make it easier for you. Help is available, whether that is through school or college, or the local council (see bottom of page for resource links.) 

 

Our SENDCo’s top tips for applying for an EHCP:

  • Parents OR school can apply for an EHCP. If your school won’t apply, put in an application yourself and school will then be legally required to provide their evidence and information. Doctors cannot apply
  • Get your evidence ready. Collect anything and everything you can do and submit it together. Don’t leave the EHCP reviewer to access evidence, send it all to them with the application – they just don’t have the time to put to each and every one that comes across their desk
  • Even if someone is coping with interventions that are in place, do not assume that these would be able to continue and/or be replicated at the next setting they move to, for example moving on to a new school. Be clear about what your young person needs and what life is like without the interventions
  • Give context and timelines – be really thorough with what has happened and when. Don’t just think about what’s happening at the moment
  • Likewise, make sure that you provide information about all areas of need as this is often left off, and can be one of the reasons that people are not successful.

 

Please also refer to the Leeds Sendiass website. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services team in your area will be able to provide you with guidance and support to apply for an EHCP to help make it less of a battle. The Wakefield team can be accessed at WESAIL. More details on Bradford’s team can be found here.