How to Streamline your EHCP requests.
“I’ve spent two whole days on this”
“It’s taken me hours to collate all the evidence and format it into the Local Authority’s form”
“I have to wait until I’ve got two terms of evidence”
EHCP needs assessment requests… If you are a SENCO or have a similar role, this will probably resonate with you. For some of the young people in our schools, we know that the level of SEND that they have will require more resources, support and intervention than you can provide from your everyday budgets and OAP (Ordinarily Available Provision). We know as professionals what it is that our students deserve, yet we we talk about “the fight” to get these students what they need. It can feel like there are so many hoops to jump through to get the necessary support. So many times I hear SENCOs saying that it can feel like a battle to get access to GPs, CAMHS and Educational Psychologists let alone an EHC Needs Assessment (EHCNA).
There are so many stories of SENCOs submitting EHCNA’s only to be told that a particular document was missing, that the child’s needs did not meet the threshold or that the school can meet needs through its own resources. The workload that is created in collating all of the evidence itself is a barrier with some schools operating waiting lists for completing the paperwork – all to try and make the process manageable and go some way to protecting SENCO wellbeing. Yet it often does precisely the opposite – creating frustration and additional stress amongst staff as a child’s needs go unmet.
But did you know that all of these responses, stipulating that a specific set of forms must be filled in and insisting on specific evidence and APDR cycles is actually not compliant with the law?
You do NOT have to fill them in to get an EHCNA!
The Children and Families Act 2014 (which is law) has some very clear statements that describe what the legal thresholds are. Sometimes known as the “legal tests”, all you have to demonstrate is that firstly, the student has OR may have SEND and secondly that it may be necessary for them to have an EHCP plan. Note that the legal tests both contain the word “may”.
This is important – you do NOT need to prove a diagnosis or that you have spent a certain amount of money already. LA’s are very good at telling us what their policies are, however law supersedes this every time. There is no need to provide endless cycles of Assess Plan Do Review (APDR), support timetables or progress data. There is also no legal stipulation for a specific form to be filled in – clearly shown by the fact that each LA has their own individual one.
I have created a “10 minute template” for requesting an EHCNA – in my former role as SENCO, I have used this successfully myself in several LAs and feedback from other SENCOs who have used it has also been positive. The template provides space for a short description of both needs and provision to align with the two legal tests and states clearly what the legal tests for an EHCNA are. Whilst not legally required, you can certainly send in additional information with this template for example behaviour logs, attendance records and so on but if you choose to, these should be documents which are already available and therefore workload in collating them is minimal.
The “ten minute template” is compliant with the law and therefore applicable in every single LA.
Would you like to know more? We are running a webinar with about using the “ten minute template” on Tuesday 30th April, 2.30-3.30pm.
Bring a cuppa, take some time for your own learning and as we all love a freebie, everyone who attends will receive a copy of the “ten minute template” to take away and use.
Join us for the webinar – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/education-health-care-plan-ehcp-applications-tickets-885437626777?aff=oddtdtcreator
About Claire Cannon (Educational Leadership and Wellbeing Coaching), Indigo Owl Coaching and Consultancy
