An Education, Health and Care plan, sometimes called an EHC Plan is a legal document. It sets out the support you should have to get the best out of school or college. An EHC Plan will say what school you should attend and what practical things the school can do to help you be successful.
This page will try and answer some of the questions you might have about EHC plans. If after reading this page you think it may be helpful to talk to someone about an EHC plan or assessment you can contact us here and we will do our best to help you.
- An EHC plan says in writing what help you need in school or college.
- It will include what your goals are and what support must be given to help you.
- Your teachers and other people who help you in school or college can use the EHC plan to make sure you’re getting the right support.
- An EHC plan may also explain what help you need to do things outside of school or college. For example, things that help you develop skills and independence or manage your physical and mental health.
Everyone will have a different plan because it is all about YOU. We are all different.
It will have information like:
- Who you are.
- How you communicate.
- What you want to achieve.
- Why you need help with things.
- What kind and amount of support you need, and how often you must get it.
- Where you go to school or college (if you do).
Once this support is written down in the plan, it must be given to you. All the people that support you will be able to see your EHC plan. It should help them work together to support you. You have the right to say what kind of information you think should be in your EHC plan and who you want to see it.
All the people that support you will be able to see your EHC plan. It should help them work together to support you. You have the right to say what kind of information you think should be in your EHC plan and who you want to see it.
If you need more help and support with your learning than is generally offered in school or college so you can keep up with your peers then an EHC plan may be helpful. If you need extra help with learning and it is before your 25th birthday, then you can be considered for an EHC plan.
EHC plans may carry on until you are 25 years old.
They will stop if:
- You go to University.
- You get a job.
- The local authority thinks you do not need it any more. The local authority is sometimes called the LA or the council.
- In Devon someone who works in the SEN 0-25 Team decides which young people need an Education, Health and Care plan. They might say that you do not need an EHC plan anymore.
You can tell the local authority what you think about your plan and they must listen to you. If you do not agree with what is written in the plan or the SEN 0-25 Team’s decision to end the plan.
If you disagree with the SEN 0-25 Team’s decision not to give you an EHC plan then you can say that you don’t agree. DiAS can help you say that you don’t agree. Contact DiAS here.
The first step is to ask for an Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs assessment.
You, your parent or carer or your school or college can ask for an EHC assessment.
To do this you need to contact the SEN 0-25 Team. You can find information and how to ask for an EHC needs assessment. You can ask for help with an EHC needs assessment. You can ask an adult you know to help you or you can ask a DiAS Child and Young Person’s Worker for help. You can contact DiAS here.
Page updated: April 2024
Page due for review: April 2026