EHCP: Elective Home Education
Overview
Home Education is officially known as Elective Home Education (EHE). EHE refers to the choice by parents to provide full-time education for their children. This is instead of sending them to school. This might be through making a positive choice to home educate, or in response to circumstances. Both journeys are referred to as Elective Home Education.
Your child might have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and you would like to educate them at home. If this is the case, the process is different depending on the type of school your child attends.
Where EHE is agreed, the Local Authority is relieved of its duty to secure the provision outlined in the EHC plan. This means that the parent becomes solely responsible for the delivery of the provision.
If your child doesn’t have an EHCP, the process is different. You can visit the main East Sussex County Council website for more information:
Some children and young people do not attend school due to emotional factors. We describe this as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
Find out more by visiting this websites' section on Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
Our directory, on 1Space, provides more information about services mentioned on this page. You can find out more by visiting 1Space:
- Assessment and Planning (A&P) | East Sussex 1Space
- Elective Home Education (EHE) | East Sussex 1Space
- Educational Psychologist Service (EPS) | East Sussex 1Space
Mainstream School and Specialist Facilities
The process for Elective Home Education (EHE) if your child is attending a mainstream school or a school with a specialist facility is as follows:
- Please tell the Assessment & Planning (A&P) team about your intention to home educate your child.
- You may then write to your child’s school asking them to off-roll your child. The school will do this.
- The EHE service will contact you to discuss the responsibilities of electively home educating your child.
- Your Assessment and Planning Officer (APO) will arrange a meeting within 4 weeks of the off-rolling. They will invite you and a EHE/Teaching and Learning Provision representative to attend.
- At this meeting, you will need to show evidence that you can meet your child’s needs and the provision. This is in line with what is in their EHC plan. The Local Authority will inform you at the meeting whether home education is appropriate.
If it is not appropriate, your child’s school will contact you to arrange getting them back into school.
If it is appropriate, your APO will amend section I of your child’s EHC plan. This will record that they are being electively home educated.
The Local Authority will decide whether home education continues to be appropriate at every annual review.
Special School
The process for Elective Home Education (EHE) if your child is attending a special school is as follows:
- Please tell Assessment & Planning (A&P) about your intention to home educate your child.
- You may then write to your child’s school asking to home educate. The school will not off-roll at this point.
The school will arrange a meeting with:
- You
- Your Assessment and Planning Officer (APO)
- An Educational Psychologist (EP)
- An Elective Home Education (EHE) representative
- Any other relevant professionals
At this meeting, you will need to show evidence that you can meet your child’s needs. This is in line with the provision written in their EHC plan. You will not be told the decision at the meeting.
The Local Authority will consider your request following the meeting.
If home education is not agreed, your child will remain on roll of the special school.
If home education is agreed, your APO will amend section I of your child’s EHC plan. This will record that they are being electively home educated. The school will remove your child from roll.
A EHE representative will make an initial home visit within three months. This will be to ensure the home education is suitable.
The Local Authority will decide whether home education continues to be appropriate at every annual review.
Additional Help and Support
Assessment & Planning Officer (APO)
Your APO will be able to support you with any concerns. The APO will contact you if there are any delays, or any information that you should know, as things arise.
Some of our APOs work part-time and may not be available immediately if you telephone or email them. However, if you leave a message, they will always respond to your contact as soon as they are able. You will find their direct telephone number on any of the letters you have received.
You can also contact the Assessment & Planning office by:
- Phone: 01273 336 740
- Email: sen.caseworkassistants@eastsussex.gov.uk
Amaze SENDIASS
Amaze SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service) are a local charity. They offer free, independent, and impartial advice for all matters relating to SEND. Contact Amaze SENDIASS by:
- Phone - 01273 772 289
- Email - sendiass@amazesussex.org.uk
Visit the Amaze SENDIASS web page.
Amaze also have a page on their website about children not in school:
East Sussex Local Offer directory of services
You can visit our SEND-specific online directory, hosted on East Sussex 1Space. The directory lists many different services both throughout the county and online. Services cover many topics, including:
- Advice, Guidance and Support Groups
- Activities and Events
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
Visit the East Sussex Local Offer directory.
NHS - Health A to Z
The East Sussex Local Offer aims to provide as much information as possible. There may be some conditions that aren't covered in thorough detail. The NHS website has pages that list all conditions. These pages provide information and advice on how to get extra support:
Visit the NHS Health A to Z web page.
Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms
We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.