If you are not happy with the outcome of the review
Contact SENDSARS first. They are there to support you and your child/young person.
You have a right to mediation and to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
Annual review of an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
A review of an EHC Plan must take place at least once a year. This is to make sure:
- the plan describes a child or young person’s needs in an accruate way, and
- the right support for them is in place.
A meeting is held as part of the review.
The child or young person’s school, nursery or college arranges the annual review in most cases. They will ask relevant professionals to attend or send up to date information about your child.
You and your child will be asked to give your views as part of the review. You can do this in writing if you want. You will also be invited to the review meeting.
Any reports about your child must be sent out at least two weeks before the meeting. This includes those sent in by parents.
After the review meeting
The child or young person’s school, nursery or college will send everyone a report of the meeting within two weeks. This should set out any recommended changes to the EHC plan.
The report is looked at by the local authority’s SEND Statutory Assessment and Review Service (SENDSARS). They will tell you what the outcome of the review is, within four weeks of the review meeting.
The outcome could be:
- The EHC plan is suitable as it is. You may hear this called the EHC plan is being maintained.
- The EHC plan needs updating. You may hear this called the EHC plan is being amended.
- The EHC plan should end as the child or young person no longer needs the specialist support it provides. You may hear this called the EHC plan will cease.
If the local authority decides to update the plan, it will ask you to comment on the updates. They will send you out a draft plan to check.
If the local authority thinks the EHC plan should end
They will discuss this with the young person, family and school or college.
Further information
See our flowcharts in the Links and documents section of this page. This is on the right-hand side of this page if you are on a computer or tablet. On a mobile phone these will show at the bottom. These explain the EHC Plan annual review process. Information in alternative languages is also provided.
Please download the document "EHCP Annual Reviews - guidance for education providers" for more detailed information.