Education Health and Care Plans – the
impact on learners and their transition
into Post 16
Michelle Docking, Manager of Statutory Assessment and
Resources Team
Nathan Jones, Manager of LLDD Team
Children and Families Bill
The Children and Families Bill sets out a new approach to special
educational needs and disability (SEND). The Bill identifies a number of
principles for working with families and in identifying and assessing
children and young people’s SEND.
These include:
Early identification
Simplified support
Coordinated assessments
Greater parental control
Clear offer for services
Personal budgets
Increased expectations and aspirations for children and young people
with SEND
 Preparation for adult life
 This new legislation brings changes to the way children
and young people’s needs are assessed and will see an
end to Statements of Special Educational Needs
(Statements) and Learning Disability Assessments
(LDAs)
 The Bill brings together both of these assessments into
one statutory document – the Education, Health and
Care Plan (EHC Plan)
 This and other SEND changes set out in the Bill are to
be implemented from September 2014.
 The statutory protections of an EHC Plan will be comparable
to those for Statements. The LA will continue to be the
decision maker for assessments and will draft and implement
the EHC Plan
 The EHC Plan will bring together the support on which
children/young people receive across education, health and
social care
 Services will have to work with families in developing the
plan which will focus on outcomes for the child/young person
 From 1st September 2014 young people in further education and
training who receive support as a result of a LDA can choose to
request an EHC needs assessment (20 week process).
 A request for an EHC needs assessment can also be made by a
person acting on behalf of the post 16 institution/another
professional supporting the young person. In these circumstances,
an EHC needs assessment must only proceed with the young
person’s agreement
 All young people who receive support as a result of a LDA who will
continue in further education or training beyond 1st September
2016 must have an EHC Plan by that date where one is needed.
Until that point Local Authorities should continue to implement their
duties in relation to young people who receive support as a result
of a LDA.
 Realising the benefits of the new EHC Plans young people who
receive support as a result of a Statement or LDA will require
their transfer to the new system to be more than simply a rebadging of their existing Statement or LDA report
 To ensure that EHC Plans are person centred and focused on
outcomes, an EHC Plan must only be issued following a
‘Transfer Review’ – an EHC needs assessment
 Local Authorities must finalise an EHC Plan, where one is
needed, within 14 weeks of the notification to the parent/young
person that they are carrying out a Transfer Review
 The Local Authority has drawn up a timetable for transferring Statements
and LDAs to EHC Plans. The timetable details by year group the date by
which the Transfer Review meeting needs to have been held and the date
by which the Local Authority will have issued the EHC Plan
 Schools and Colleges take responsibility for arranging the Transfer Review
meeting. The young person, parents/carers and all relevant professionals
should be invited to the meeting
 The Local Authority has drawn up a Transfer Review pro-forma that needs
to be completed by the school/college. The Transfer Review is to be
submitted to the Local Authority as soon as possible
 Following the Transfer Review meeting the Local Authority will consider
the information submitted and a decision will be made as to whether an
EHC Plan is to be issued
 The Statutory Assessment and Resources Team (START) are
responsible for the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
process and the Transfer from Statements of SEN/LDAs to EHC Plans
 All schools/colleges will have a named SEN Casework Officer who will
be able to provide advice and support - START contact number is
01480 372600
 A helpline has been set up to provide advice and guidance relating to
the transfer of Statements of SEN/LDAs to an EHC Plan, Transfer
Review process – 01223 699362
 Information relating to the EHC Needs Assessment, EHC Plan and
Transfer Review process can be found on the Cambridgeshire County
Council Website – www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/send
Transfer to Post 16 Education
 The young person’s preference is at the heart of the process
 The Post 16 application process is replaced by the EHC Plan and
Review
 The young person’s preferred provider will be consulted as part of
the EHC assessment process
 There will be a formal consultation over placement
 The new legislation enables the Local Authority to name a Post 16
provider in the EHC Plan
EHC Plan and Higher Education
The EHCP does not transfer into the HE sector
The EHCP must be shared with DSA assessment
centre
EHCP must be shared with receiving HE
establishment