How To Know An EHCP Is Any Good?

[TheSoddingCat]

DD in year 2. Been fighting for an EHCP since nursery. We finally have one and I have no idea if it's any good or not. I'm not qualified or experienced enough to know if it's actually decent and I don't trust the LA not to try their hardest to get out of paying for things.

We're in the draft stage and we've had a moving forward meeting so I need to say whether I'm happy with it or not and I don't know?! Who can I turn to for advice?

I'm really pleased with the EP report that was completed as part of the ECHNA and I feel the EP was very comprehensive when describing DDs needs and struggles, it's just we've been fighting for this for so long I really want to get it right.

Feel I've already let DD down enough as she should have had this since nursery but because I trusted shit education settings when I shouldn't have and didn't push hard enough and wasn't gobby enough and didn't do enough of my own research and trusted staff I shouldn't have I really need to get this correct. I'm still learning all the time when it comes to DDs needs and support and I have no idea what a good EHCP should look like.

Hi OP - First of all don't beat yourself up. SEND parenting is a minefield! My daughter just got her EHCP draft a couple of weeks ago. Google "how to EHCP draft check" and quite a few guides should come up.

I've known people have great success with these. I personally didn't feel comfortable or confident to do it myself.

So I paid a well recommended send advocacy company to go through all my daughter's reports and compare them to the EHCP and amend where needed. The EHCP draft is now basically watertight despite it being quite slack before. I know that isn't an option for everyone as it's expensive, but if you can do it I would recommend it.

The biggest thing is making sure section F is detailed, specified and quantified. No vague or woolly wording such as “access to”, “would benefit from”, “or equivalent”, “opportunities for”, “regular”, “etc.”, “e.g.” … If it is vague and woolly it isn’t worth the paper it is written on and cannot be enforced.

Anything that ‘educates or trains’ belongs in F. That includes things like SALT and OT.

All DD’s educational needs should be in B. Every need should having corresponding provision and and outcomes in F and E. Go through the reports and ensure all needs/provision in them is in B&F.

Have you looked at IPSEA’s advice page? If it’s something you are interested in SOSSEN offer a draft checking services and they are reasonably priced.

Thank you so much for your reply @Sconesandgravy. Can I please ask which SEND advocate you used please? As you said, I just don't have the confidence to navigate this without some professional advice.

Thank you so much for your advice @JustKeepBuilding. I'll take a look at SOSSEN now. Thanks again

If you do use an advocate choose wisely. It is an unregulated area and there are some who cause more harm than good.

We used IPSEA's EHC plan checklist to help us review DC's draft EHCP:

www.ipsea.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=afd8d11f-5f75-44e0-8f90-e2e7385e55f0