How Do I Get an EHCP?

It can take 20 weeks from when you request an EHCP assessment to when you receive it so if you are going to be at college before then it is important to talk to your college about how they will support you before an EHCP is in place.

Stage one – requesting an assessment

Either you or your college can submit a request to the local authority that you be assessed for an EHCP. Once this request is made the local authority have 6 weeks to say whether or not they are going to assess you. If they decide not to assess you this means that they believe that you can be supported within the college’s normal provision, they will offer to meet with you to discuss this.

Stage two – gathering the evidence

Someone from the Local authority called the assessment co-ordinator will gather reports from all of the people who work with you to support your education, health and care needs. They will also need a report from you where you say what your aspirations are, what outcomes you hope to achieve at college and how you think you can best be supported at college. This will take another 6 weeks, so 12 weeks from the initial assessment.

Stage three – The co-production meeting, creating a draft plan

The assessment co-ordinator will call a meeting called a ‘co-production meeting’ with all of the people who gave reports, including you and anyone who you want to attend with you to support you (a parent, friend or someone from the YPIASS team). This meeting will help to develop a draft plan.
The Local authority will then have three and a half weeks to issue the draft plan

Stage four – Making the draft plan a final plan

The local authority will send you a copy of your draft plan. You will then have 15 days to respond and say which college you wish to be attending. The local authority will then have a further 15 days to confirm that they will issue the plan to support you in the college that you wish to attend.

Note: In very rare circumstances the LA can say that they want you to attend a different college to the one that you intended to attend. They would need a good reason to say this and you would have the opportunity to challenge that decision.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about getting an EHC Plan:

I think that I need an EHCP but the council have said that I don't, what can I do?

The local authority (sometimes called the council) can make the decision that you do not need an EHC plan but they will need to show that you can get the support that you need in college from the local offer support. If you still feel that you need extra support above this then you can arrange to have a mediation meeting with the local authority to try to come to an agreement. If there is still disagreement after that mediation meeting then you can appeal the local authority's decision at a tribunal.

I don't agree with something that is in my plan, I want it changed?

The plan should be co-produced (this means that you and the council will work together to make the plan) if something is put in the plan which you disagree with then you can arrange a mediation meeting and if this does not resolve the disagreement then you can go to a tribunal to legally challenge the decision.

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