When a child struggles with reading, communication, concentration, sensory needs, emotional regulation or another aspect of school life, parents may hear terms such as SEN support, SENCO, graduated approach and EHCP.
These terms describe different parts of the system used to identify needs and arrange support. Most children with special educational needs receive help through their school’s SEN support arrangements. A smaller number need an Education, Health and Care Plan because their needs and required provision are more complex.
This guide focuses on the system in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different legal frameworks, plans and procedures, so families elsewhere should use the guidance provided by their national government and local education service.
What special educational needs means
A child or young person has special educational needs when they have a learning difficulty or disability that requires special educational provision to be made for them.
A school-age child may have a learning difficulty or disability if they:
- have significantly greater difficulty learning than most others of the same age; or
- have a disability that prevents or hinders them from using educational facilities generally provided for pupils of the same age.
SEN is not a single diagnosis. Two children with the same condition may have very different strengths, difficulties and support needs.
The SEND Code of Practice groups needs into four broad areas:
- Communication and interaction: including speech, language and communication needs and differences associated with autism;
- Cognition and learning: including specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and profound or multiple learning difficulties;
- Social, emotional and mental health: including difficulties that affect emotional regulation, relationships, attendance or participation;
- Sensory or physical needs: including hearing, vision, mobility and physical access needs.
These categories help schools plan support, but they should not be used to place children into rigid groups. A pupil may have needs across several areas.
How to raise concerns with the school
Parents do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis before discussing concerns. Begin with the class teacher in primary school or the form tutor, subject teacher or head of year in secondary school.
Explain what you have noticed, including:
- which tasks your child finds difficult;
- when the problem began;
- whether it occurs at home as well as school;
- how it affects confidence, behaviour or attendance;
- what appears to help;
- any relevant health or professional information.
Ask what staff have observed and whether your child is making expected progress. A child can have SEN even when their academic attainment appears average, particularly where they need considerable support to cope or participate.
If concerns continue, request a meeting with the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator. Keep a short written record of the main points discussed and the actions agreed.
Our guide to talking to your child’s teacher when you are worried can help you prepare.
What the SENCO does
SENCO stands for Special Educational Needs Coordinator. The SENCO coordinates the school’s approach to identifying and supporting pupils with SEN.
The role commonly includes:
- advising teachers about suitable support;
- coordinating assessments and interventions;
- working with parents and pupils;
- liaising with external professionals;
- monitoring the effectiveness of provision;
- supporting transitions between classes or schools;
- maintaining relevant SEND records;
- advising school leaders and governors.
The SENCO does not personally deliver every intervention or make every decision. The class or subject teacher remains responsible for the pupil’s progress and everyday teaching, including when teaching assistants or specialists are involved.
Parents should ask who their main contact will be, how frequently support will be reviewed and how information will be shared between staff.
What SEN support should involve
SEN support is additional or different provision arranged by a school for a pupil with identified special educational needs. A child does not need an EHCP to receive SEN support.
Support should respond to the individual barriers affecting the pupil rather than rely only on a diagnosis. It may include:
- adapted explanations, resources or classroom routines;
- targeted literacy or numeracy teaching;
- speech and language strategies;
- visual timetables and communication supports;
- sensory or movement breaks;
- assistive technology;
- changes to seating or the learning environment;
- support with emotional regulation or social communication;
- advice from external professionals;
- reasonable adjustments for disability.
Support should have a clear purpose. Parents should be able to understand what is being provided, how often it happens, who is responsible and how the school will decide whether it is helping.
A diagnosis can provide useful information but should not be treated as the only route to support. Schools have duties to identify and address educational needs based on the evidence available.
Understand the assess, plan, do, review cycle
Schools should use a graduated approach commonly described as assess, plan, do and review.
Assess
The teacher and SENCO gather information about the pupil’s strengths, needs, progress and barriers to learning. Evidence may include schoolwork, observations, assessments, parent views, pupil views and professional reports.
Plan
The school, parents and pupil agree the intended outcomes, provision, responsibilities and review date. Plans should be specific enough for everyone to understand what will happen.
Do
The agreed support is delivered. The class or subject teacher remains responsible for the pupil’s learning, even where an intervention is led by a teaching assistant or specialist.
Review
The school considers whether the provision was delivered and whether it improved the pupil’s learning, participation or wellbeing. Support may then continue, change, increase or end.
The cycle should be repeated as understanding of the pupil develops. Repeating the same unsuccessful intervention without changing the assessment or plan is not a meaningful graduated response.
What parents should ask at a SEN review
A review meeting should consider evidence rather than simply state that a child is “doing better” or “still struggling”.
Useful questions include:
- What need or barrier is this support intended to address?
- What is my child currently able to do?
- What outcome are we working towards?
- What provision is being delivered and how often?
- Has the support happened as planned?
- What evidence shows whether it is working?
- What does my child think about the support?
- What will change before the next review?
- Is specialist advice now needed?
Ask for a copy of the updated support plan or meeting record. If the wording is unclear, request practical detail.
For example, “access to adult support when necessary” does not explain when support is available, what the adult will do or how independence will be developed.
When an EHC needs assessment may be appropriate
An Education, Health and Care needs assessment is a statutory assessment carried out by the local authority. It considers whether a child or young person needs an EHCP.
An assessment may be appropriate where the child’s special educational provision may need to be arranged through an EHCP rather than solely through the school’s ordinary SEN support arrangements.
Relevant evidence may include:
- the nature and severity of the child’s needs;
- the progress made despite relevant support;
- the type and amount of provision required;
- professional reports or assessments;
- the effect of the needs on attendance, participation or independence;
- whether the setting can reasonably provide the required support from its available resources.
A child does not necessarily need to have failed for a fixed number of terms, completed a particular number of interventions or received a diagnosis before an assessment can be requested.
Similarly, a diagnosis does not automatically establish that an EHCP is required. The decision concerns the child’s educational needs and the provision necessary to meet them.
For a direct comparison, read SEN Support vs EHCP: What Is the Difference?.
How to request an EHC needs assessment
A parent can ask the local authority to carry out an EHC needs assessment. A young person aged over 16 can also make their own request, while schools and certain other professionals may request or bring a child to the authority’s attention.
You do not need the school’s permission to make a parental request. However, working with the school can help ensure that relevant educational evidence is included.
Check your council’s Local Offer for its preferred form or online process. A written request should clearly state that you are requesting an EHC needs assessment and include:
- the child’s name, date of birth and address;
- their school or educational setting;
- a description of their needs;
- the effect on learning and participation;
- support already attempted;
- why you believe an EHCP may be necessary;
- copies of relevant reports and school records.
Send copies rather than original documents and keep proof of the date on which the request was received.
The government confirms that parents can request an assessment directly from their local authority. Further information is available through the official guidance on requesting an EHC assessment.
The statutory EHCP timeline
The local authority normally has six weeks from receiving the request to decide whether it will carry out an EHC needs assessment.
If it refuses to assess, it must explain the decision and provide information about mediation and appeal rights.
If an assessment takes place, the authority gathers advice and evidence. It must then decide whether issuing an EHCP is necessary.
Where the authority decides to issue a plan, it sends the parent or young person a draft. They must be given at least 15 days to comment and express a preference for a school or other setting.
The entire process from the original request to the final plan should normally take no more than 20 weeks. Limited statutory exceptions can apply.
The 20-week limit is a legal timescale, not an estimate of how long the process ought to take in an ideal case. Recent national data show that many plans are not completed within it, but delay does not remove the authority’s duty.
If the deadline passes, request a written explanation, ask for an updated timetable and keep a record of all communication.
What evidence is gathered during the assessment
The local authority must seek advice and information from relevant people and services. Depending on the child, this may include:
- the parent or young person;
- the school or educational setting;
- an educational psychologist;
- health professionals;
- social care;
- specialist teachers;
- speech and language, occupational or physiotherapy services;
- any other person reasonably requested by the parent or young person.
The child’s own views, interests and aspirations should form part of the assessment. Communication methods may need to be adapted so that a child can participate meaningfully.
Parents can submit independent reports, but they should not feel required to pay privately before the local authority will consider a request. The authority remains responsible for obtaining the advice needed for its assessment.
What each section of an EHCP contains
An EHCP must use the sections set out in the SEND framework. Local authorities may design their documents differently, but the required information must remain clearly identifiable.
- Section A: the views, interests and aspirations of the child and their parents or the young person;
- Section B: the child or young person’s special educational needs;
- Section C: health needs related to SEN;
- Section D: social care needs related to SEN or disability;
- Section E: the outcomes sought;
- Section F: the special educational provision required;
- Section G: health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities;
- Sections H1 and H2: specified social care provision;
- Section I: the named school, college or type of setting;
- Section J: personal budget arrangements where applicable;
- Section K: the advice and information gathered during the assessment.
Needs should be fully described in Section B, with corresponding special educational provision in Section F. Important support should not be left only in Section A, a professional report or an appendix.
What good EHCP wording looks like
Provision should be detailed, specific and normally quantified. The plan should make clear what must be delivered rather than leaving essential decisions open for later.
Vague wording may include:
- “access to support”;
- “opportunities for therapy”;
- “regular input”;
- “support as required”;
- “an appropriate programme”.
More useful wording explains:
- the type of support;
- how often it will happen;
- the duration of each session;
- whether it is individual or group provision;
- who will deliver it;
- the required qualifications or expertise;
- how it will be reviewed.
Provision should also be linked to identified needs and outcomes. A list of generic strategies is not enough if it does not explain how the child’s individual needs will be met.
Parents should compare the draft plan with every professional report. Check whether each identified need appears in Section B and whether the recommended support is clearly included in Section F or another relevant provision section.
Choosing and naming a school
When a draft EHCP is issued, the parent or young person may express a preference for certain types of school or college, including maintained schools, academies and specified specialist settings.
The local authority must consult the proposed setting. It may refuse the preference only on particular legal grounds, such as incompatibility with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources.
Section I of the final EHCP names the school or other setting, or in some circumstances the type of setting.
Do not assume that an EHCP automatically results in a special-school placement. Many children with EHCPs attend mainstream schools, while others need specialist provision.
Parents should consider:
- whether the setting can deliver all provision in the plan;
- staff expertise;
- class and group arrangements;
- communication and sensory environments;
- therapy access;
- travel and transport;
- the child’s views;
- preparation for the next stage of education.
Where possible, visit potential settings and ask how they would deliver the specific provision described in the draft plan.
Annual reviews and changing an EHCP
An EHCP must be reviewed at least every 12 months. The purpose is to consider progress towards outcomes, whether needs or provision have changed and whether the plan remains necessary.
The annual review is a process rather than only a meeting. Relevant reports should be gathered and circulated in advance, allowing participants to prepare.
After the review meeting, the local authority must decide whether to:
- maintain the plan without changes;
- amend it; or
- cease to maintain it.
The authority must communicate its decision within the statutory review process. If it proposes amendments, parents should receive the proposed changes and an opportunity to comment before an amended final plan is issued.
Parents can request changes when provision is vague, needs have altered or a different placement is required. Do not wait for an annual review if the child’s situation has changed urgently.
Transition reviews require particular attention. Plans must be amended within statutory deadlines when a child transfers between phases of education, such as primary to secondary school.
Who must deliver the provision
Once an EHCP is final, the local authority has a legal duty to secure the special educational provision specified in Section F.
The school often delivers much of that provision, but the legal responsibility for securing it remains with the local authority. A shortage of staff or difficulty commissioning a service does not automatically remove the duty.
If provision is not being delivered:
- identify the exact wording in Section F;
- record what has and has not happened;
- raise the issue in writing with the school and local authority;
- ask when delivery will begin and how missed provision will be addressed;
- seek specialist advice if the problem continues.
Be clear about the distinction between provision written in the EHCP and informal arrangements described elsewhere. Legally enforceable duties depend heavily on the wording and section in which support appears.
Personal budgets and direct payments
A personal budget is an amount identified to secure particular provision in an EHCP. It may be managed in different ways, including by the local authority, through a third party, as a direct payment or through a combination of arrangements.
A personal budget does not mean parents receive unrestricted money or control the school’s overall SEND funding.
Parents and young people can request information about a personal budget during preparation or review of an EHCP. Whether a direct payment is available depends on the provision, consent requirements and applicable regulations.
The arrangements should be recorded in Section J of the plan where a personal budget is agreed.
What to do when you disagree with a decision
Parents and young people may be able to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability when the local authority:
- refuses to carry out an EHC needs assessment;
- refuses to issue an EHCP after assessing;
- issues a plan with disputed needs, provision or placement;
- refuses to reassess;
- refuses to amend a plan following review or reassessment;
- decides to cease the plan.
Before most appeals, the parent or young person must contact a mediation adviser and obtain a mediation certificate. Participating in mediation is generally optional, but obtaining the certificate is usually required. An exception applies where the appeal concerns only the school or setting named in Section I.
Appeal deadlines are strict. They are normally calculated from the date of the local authority’s decision letter or the mediation certificate, whichever gives the later deadline under the rules.
Official appeal forms and guidance are available through the SEND Tribunal service.
SENDIASS provides free, impartial local information and support. IPSEA also publishes specialist legal information and template letters through its SEND advice service.
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need a diagnosis to receive SEN support?
No. Support should be based on identified educational needs and barriers. A diagnosis may provide useful information, but schools should not delay appropriate support solely because an assessment or diagnosis is pending.
Does every child with SEN need an EHCP?
No. Most pupils with SEN are supported through their school’s SEN support arrangements. An EHCP is intended for children and young people whose required provision may need to be secured through a statutory plan.
Can parents request an EHC needs assessment themselves?
Yes. Parents can make a written request directly to their local authority. They do not need the school’s permission, although school evidence may support the request.
Can a school say it must complete a fixed number of support cycles first?
The local authority must consider the statutory test and all available evidence. There is no universal rule requiring every child to complete a fixed number of terms or interventions before an assessment can be requested.
Is an EHCP the same as funding?
No. An EHCP is a legal document describing needs, outcomes and provision. Funding arrangements determine how provision is paid for but should not replace the duty to secure what the plan specifies.
Does an EHCP guarantee one-to-one support?
No. One-to-one support must be specified where assessment shows it is required. An EHCP does not automatically provide a full-time dedicated teaching assistant.
Can an EHCP continue after age 18?
Yes. A plan can continue for a young person aged up to 25 when they remain in education or training and the statutory conditions for maintaining it are met. It does not continue simply because the young person has not yet reached 25.
Does an EHCP cover university?
No. EHCPs do not continue into higher education. Disabled university students may receive support through arrangements such as reasonable adjustments and Disabled Students’ Allowance.
What happens when the local authority misses the 20-week deadline?
The authority should explain the delay and complete the process as soon as possible. Keep written records, request a timetable and seek advice if the delay continues. Only limited statutory exceptions permit the usual deadline to be extended.
Where can parents check the legal framework?
The official SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years explains the statutory system in England. Parents should also consult their council’s Local Offer and current tribunal guidance.
