Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) look at all your child’s needs and brings all services together.  They are only issued to children who need require intensive support to access mainstream schooling or who may need specialist provision at some point in their future.  EHCPs are available from birth to 25 years old.  Children with an EHCP will have at least 3 plan-do-review meetings throughout the year as well as an ‘Annual Review’ where the child’s needs and provision are reviewed.  Schools or parents can start the Statutory Assessment process to request an EHCP but all decisions are made by the Local Authority. 

Schools can apply for Higher needs funding (HNF) for pupils with severe or complex needs who have an EHCP or are at SEN Support level and may need additional support such as a 1:1 teaching assistant.  If the pupil doesn’t have an EHCP the school will have identified the pupil’s SEN needs with the support of external professionals through the LIFT process as part of the ‘assess, plan, do and review’ cycle (see outside agencies).  School criteria to apply for HNF includes; providing two reviewed personalised plans that show the implementation of recommendations from professionals and the ‘assess, plan, do and review’ cycle and a current Personalised Plan with individual targets and strategies.  Schools have to work out the cost of provision for the child and are expected to fund the first £6000.  If the child’s provision exceeds this threshold, the local authority will provide top up funding.