Purpose of education, health and care (EHC) plans

Most children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) get help through SEN support.

A small number of children and young people have more complex needs. They may need extra resources. In these cases, you can ask for an education, health and care needs assessment (EHCNA). This assessment helps decide if an education, health and care (EHC) plan is needed.

An EHC plan is for children and young people up to age 25 who need more support than SEN support provides. It is a legal document. It sets out their special educational, health and social care needs. It explains the extra support to meet those needs. It also shows how this support will help them make progress and reach their goals.

Not everyone needs support up to age 25. We review the plan every year with you, the current school or setting, and SEND support services.

You should always discuss this with your / your child's educational setting first. They will work with you to agree whether your child needs support on top of what they already provide. In a lot of cases, they will submit a request on your behalf, if they have your consent to do so.

The first step is to ask Lancashire County Council, as the local authority, for an education, health and care needs assessment (EHCNA). An EHCNA is used to decide whether an EHC Plan is necessary.

See requesting an education, health and care needs assessment for more information.

The information in this guide is for parents, carers and young people, if you are a professional, refer to the information for professionals.

The following short film from Independent Support, with support from the Department for Education, explains what an education, health and care plan is and who can have one.