EHCP: Reviews
Annual Review Process
Your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will be reviewed every year. The annual review looks at:
- your child’s progress against the EHCP outcomes
- if the plan needs to be updated
- what plans are needed for the next stage of education, training or other aspects of adulthood
- if the plan is still needed
You and your child should be involved in all stages of their annual review, including the annual review meeting.
Annual reviews should take place within one year of the plan being first issued or last reviewed. However, a review can be called sooner if needed.
Annual reviews generally take place during the school year and are held at the educational setting.
If your child is receiving education at home, the meeting can be held in the home or at an alternative venue. Your APO (Assessment and Planning Officer) will coordinate and conduct the review.
Before the Review Meeting
The school will invite you to the review. You can bring a friend, relative, or independent parental supporter to the meeting if you would like to. Wherever possible your child should also be actively involved in the review process and they should be encouraged to attend all or part of the meeting.
Other professionals involved in your child’s education should also be invited.
The school will gather up-to-date information from all professionals involved with your child.
All up-to-date information will be sent to you and all the professionals involved in the review at least two weeks before the review meeting.
You and your child will also need to provide your views before the meeting. The school can help you with this if needed.
When providing your and your child’s views, you should consider:
- The progress the child has made
- The things your child is good at and likes to do
- The things your child finds difficult
- How your child’s needs may have changed
- What support your child needs at school and at home
- Any other information about your child that may be important
Amaze SENDIASS can help you prepare for your review meeting.
At the Review Meeting
The school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) will chair the review meeting.
You will be able to ask any questions you may have and request any amendments you think the plan needs. This includes requesting a change of school.
After the Review Meeting
The school will write up the annual review report, including any proposed amendments or recommendations for the EHC plan.
The school will send the annual review paperwork to us (the Local Authority) within 2 weeks of the meeting.
We will decide whether to update the plan, keep it as it is, or cease the plan.
We will tell you our decision within 2 weeks of receiving the paperwork from the school. You should, therefore, know our decision no later than 4 weeks after the review.
If we are updating the plan, we will prepare a Proposed Amended EHC plan and send it to you for comment.
You will have 15 calendar days to send us your comments on the Proposed Amended EHC plan. You will also be asked for your school preference, although you do not need to name a different school from your child’s current school.
You can also ask for a meeting with us during the 15 days. You can also ask for an Education Personal Budget.
We will consider your comments carefully and will send you an Amended Final EHC plan. We will do this within 8 weeks of sending you the Proposed Amended EHC plan.
If you don’t agree with us, you can consider Appeals and Mediation.
Additional Help and Support
Assessment & Planning
Your allocated assessment & planning officer (APO) will be happy to guide and support you throughout the EHCP reviews process. 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 e-mail 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 will have been sent.
You can also contact the Assessment & Planning office:
- 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 who offer free, independent, and impartial advice for all matters relating to SEND. Contact Amaze SENDIASS:
- Phone: 01273 772 289
- Email: sendiass@amazesussex.org.uk
Amaze have also created an ‘EHC Plans Fact Sheet’:
East Sussex Local Offer directory of services
You can visit our SEND-specific online directory, hosted on East Sussex 1Space, that lists many different services both throughout the county and online. Services include advice, guidance and support groups, activities and events and mental health and wellbeing support among many other topics:
NHS - Health A to Z
While 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, with information and advice on how to get extra support:
Glossary of East Sussex Send Terms
Some of the terms used on this website are explained on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.