Complete Guide to Applying for an EHCP: Step-by-Step for UK Parents

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that describes a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve. It’s designed for children and young people up to age 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.

Understanding EHCPs

Why an EHCP Matters

It’s a legally binding document that ensures your child receives the specific support they need
It can provide access to specialized educational settings or additional resources
It follows your child through their educational journey up to age 25
It considers educational, health, and social care needs in one coordinated plan
It gives you and your child greater rights and protections in the educational system

Who Can Apply for an EHCP

Applications can be made by:

Parents or carers of children with special educational needs
Schools or educational settings (with parental consent)
Young people aged 16-25 directly
Health and social care professionals can suggest an application

Eligibility criteria: A child or young person is eligible for an EHCP if:

They have special educational needs
They require provision that goes beyond what is normally available in mainstream settings
The special educational provision required cannot reasonably be provided within the resources normally available

Important: Understanding your rights to apply for an EHCP is the first step in advocating for your child’s educational needs. Parents often don’t realise they can initiate this process themselves.

Preparation: Before You Apply

Proper preparation can significantly increase your chances of a successful EHCP application.

Step 1: Gather Information About Your Child’s Needs

Essential information to collect:

Medical diagnoses and reports
Educational assessments and progress reports
Details of current support being provided
Records of interventions already tried and their outcomes
Observations of difficulties at home and in educational settings

How Tediverse Helps: Use the Episode Tracker feature to document specific instances where your child has struggled, recording date, time, triggers, and outcomes. This builds a concrete evidence base of your child’s difficulties over time.

Step 2: Talk to Your Child’s Educational Setting

Before applying, discuss your concerns with your child’s school, particularly the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

Key discussion points:

Your child’s current progress and difficulties
Support already in place and its effectiveness
Whether the school will support your application
What additional evidence the school can provide
Ask about the graduated approach and SEN Support already provided

How Tediverse Helps: Use Tediverse’s Communication Hub to keep a record of all conversations with educational professionals. Document meeting outcomes, agreed actions, and share relevant information securely with your child’s educational team.

Step 3: Document Your Child’s Daily Challenges

Keep a detailed record of how your child’s difficulties affect their daily life, both at home and in education.

At school/educational setting:

Learning difficulties and academic progress
Social interactions with peers and adults
Ability to follow routines and transitions
Behavior and emotional regulation
Physical needs and accommodations

At home:

Morning and evening routines
Sleep patterns and challenges
Mealtime difficulties
Social and family interactions
Anxiety, stress triggers, and meltdowns

How Tediverse Helps: Tediverse’s Sleep & Food Trackers allow you to document patterns that demonstrate how your child’s needs impact daily life. The My Feelings feature helps children express their emotions, providing valuable insights into their experiences that can strengthen your application.

Step 4: Research Your Local Authority’s Process

Each Local Authority (LA) may have slightly different procedures and forms for EHCP applications.

Action points:

Visit your LA’s Local Offer website for specific information
Find the correct application forms or online submission process
Identify local parent support groups or SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
Understand your LA’s threshold criteria for assessing EHCP needs
Check if your LA has any specific evidence requirements

How Tediverse Helps: Use Tediverse’s Health Passport feature to organize all your research and contact information for local services. Store links to important resources and keep track of conversations with local authority representatives in one secure place.

The Application Process

The EHCP application process begins with a formal request for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

Making the Formal Request

Option 1: School-led Application

Meet with your child’s SENCO to discuss the application
The school will complete the necessary forms
They will include evidence of support already provided
You’ll need to give written consent
The school submits the application to the LA

Option 2: Parent-led Application

Write a formal letter to your LA requesting an assessment
Include your child’s details and explain their needs
Attach any supporting evidence you have
Request that the LA gathers additional evidence
Keep a copy of all correspondence

Sample Application Letter Template:

[Your Address]
[Your Email and Phone]
[Date]

SEN Department
[Local Authority Name]
[Local Authority Address]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment for [Child's Full Name], DOB: [Date of Birth]

I am writing to request an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for my child, [Child's Name], under Section 36(1) of the Children and Families Act 2014.

[Child's Name] currently attends [School Name] and has the following special educational needs:

[Describe specific needs]

These needs are affecting [Child's Name]'s ability to access education in the following ways:

[Describe impact]

Despite the following support that has been put in place, [Child's Name] continues to struggle:

[List support/intervention and outcomes]

I have enclosed the following evidence to support this request:

[List documents]

I believe that [Child's Name] requires special educational provision that cannot reasonably be provided within the resources normally available to mainstream schools.

Please contact me to let me know the decision on whether the local authority will conduct an EHC needs assessment.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]
Parent/Carer of [Child's Name]

How Tediverse Helps: Use data from Tediverse’s Episode Tracker and Wellbeing Journal to provide specific examples of your child’s challenges in your application letter. Include dates, frequency of episodes, and their impact on your child’s education and wellbeing.

After Submission

Once your application is submitted, the local authority must decide whether to conduct an assessment within 6 weeks.

If the LA agrees to assess:

You’ll receive written confirmation
The assessment process begins
You should be assigned a key contact person
The LA will gather information from various professionals

If the LA refuses to assess:

You’ll receive written explanation of the decision
You have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal
Consider mediation before appealing
You can reapply with additional evidence

Tip: Don’t be discouraged if your first application is refused. Many successful EHCPs come after an appeal or a second application with stronger evidence. Keep documenting your child’s needs systematically.

Timelines and Key Deadlines

Understanding the legal timeframes for the EHCP process is essential:

Stage	Legal Timeframe	What Happens
Request to Decision	6 weeks	LA decides whether to conduct an EHC needs assessment
Information Gathering	6 weeks	Professionals must respond to requests for information
Assessment to Decision	10 weeks	LA decides whether to issue an EHCP after assessment
Draft to Final EHCP	8 weeks	Parents review draft, request changes, and final EHCP is issued
Total Maximum Time	20 weeks	From initial request to final EHCP (if approved)
Annual Review	12 months	EHCPs must be reviewed at least annually
Appeal Deadline	2 months	Time limit to appeal LA decisions to SEND Tribunal

Important Timeline Notes:

These are maximum legal timeframes - some LAs may complete stages more quickly
Exceptions can extend these timeframes in limited circumstances (e.g., school holidays)
If the LA misses a deadline, you can remind them of their legal obligations
Keep records of all dates and correspondence to track timeline compliance

Evidence Requirements

Strong, well-organized evidence is the foundation of a successful EHCP application.

Essential Evidence Categories

Professional Reports:

Educational psychology assessments
Speech and language therapy reports
Occupational therapy assessments
Medical diagnoses and clinical letters
CAMHS or mental health evaluations
Specialist teacher assessments

Educational Evidence:

School reports and progress data
Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
Samples of school work showing difficulties
Records of interventions and their outcomes
Attendance records (if relevant)
SENCO observations and reports

Home-Based Evidence:

Daily logs of behavior and challenges
Sleep pattern records
Mealtime difficulties documentation
Morning/evening routine challenges
Records of episodes or meltdowns
Impact on family life documentation

Making Your Evidence Effective

Focus on Impact and Needs:

How difficulties affect daily functioning
The gap between your child and peers
Why current support is insufficient
Specific needs that require additional provision
The consistent nature of difficulties across settings

How Tediverse Helps Gather Compelling Evidence:

Episode Tracker: Log events with photo/video attachments to demonstrate patterns of behavior and emotional regulation challenges
Sleep & Food Trackers: Document sleep patterns and mealtime challenges to show how these affect daily functioning
My Feelings: Help your child express emotions, creating a record of their emotional experiences and triggers
Visual Schedules: Create and track the use of visual schedules, documenting which approaches help your child succeed
Health Passport: Consolidate all medical and diagnostic information in one organized location
Communication Hub: Track all communications with professionals and document agreed actions

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting Too Long to Apply

Problem: Many parents delay applying because they hope their child will “catch up” or they want to avoid labeling them.

Solution: Apply when you first notice significant concerns. An EHCP is about securing appropriate support, not a label. The process takes time, so starting earlier is better.

Providing Vague or General Evidence

Problem: Statements like “my child struggles with learning” are too general to be helpful.

Solution: Be specific and detailed. Include dates, frequency, duration, and concrete examples of challenges. Quantify difficulties where possible.

Focusing Only on Diagnosis

Problem: Some parents believe they need a formal diagnosis first, or focus exclusively on the diagnosis rather than needs.

Solution: EHCPs are needs-based, not diagnosis-based. Focus on documenting your child’s functional needs and the impact of their difficulties.

Not Being Specific About Required Support

Problem: Vague requests for “more support” don’t provide the LA with actionable information.

Solution: Research and specify what support would help (e.g., “30 minutes of 1:1 speech therapy weekly” rather than “speech therapy”).

Draft EHCP Review

When you receive a draft EHCP, review every section carefully:

Review for:

Accuracy of information about your child
Inclusion of all identified needs
Specific, quantified provisions for each need
Clear, measurable outcomes
Appropriate educational placement

Avoid:

Accepting vague or unquantified provision descriptions
Overlooking missing needs or provisions
Accepting “best endeavors” language instead of specific commitments
Not specifying frequency, duration, and qualifications for therapies
Rushing your response due to pressure from the LA

Annual Reviews

EHCPs must be reviewed at least annually. Use Tediverse throughout the year to:

Track progress toward outcomes
Document ongoing needs
Gather evidence for the review meeting
Prepare comprehensive review submissions