Settings have a duty to meet the needs of all their learners and to follow a graduated approach to identifying and meeting Special Educational Needs. For a small number of young people with a very high level of need, the setting may need further guidance and resources from the local authority in order to meet their specific individual needs. In these cases, the setting has a duty of care to apply for an Education, Health, Care (EHC) assessment and the local authority has a duty to respond within legal timeframes.
What is an EHCP?
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document that sets out a description of a child/young person's special educational, health and social care needs.
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Who requires an EHCP?
Only a very small number of children and young people with complex and severe needs, who require very high levels of individualised support, are issued with an EHCP.
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The EHC assessment process
An EHC assessment is a multi-agency assessment for children and young people who may need a significantly higher level of long-term support than can normally be provided within a school or college
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