Annual Review
Reviews of EHCPs
An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) must be reviewed at least once per year on or before the anniversary of when the EHCP was first issued, or on or before the anniversary of the last review. An early annual review (sometimes called an emergency annual review) can be arranged if the child/young person’s needs have changed or if their provision is no longer meeting need.
The annual review is not just a meeting, there is a specific process that must be followed:
- At least 2 weeks before the meeting, the host (normally the setting that the child/young person attends) must notify the child/young person, their parents/carers and any professionals involved in their care and support of the date of the meeting. They must also invite them to contribute a report ahead of the meeting. Professional’s reports should contain up-to-date advice about the child/young person’s needs. Parent/child/young person’s contributions should include views on the current arrangements and any changes they feel need to be made to reflect their aspirations or needs.
- At least 2 weeks before the meeting, the host must collect and share reports/contributions from everyone invited to the meeting.
Top tips:
- If the host has called the meeting with less than 2 weeks’ notice, you can request a later date to allow time for everyone to make contributions.
- Check the list of invitees. If anyone is missing, you can request that they are added and given time to submit their contributions.
- Write a list of the main points that you want to raise or questions that you want to ask.
- Take a printed copy of the EHCP. Use a Highlighter to identify anything you feel needs to be amended/removed.
- Try and anticipate any issues that might arise and think about how you will respond.
- Ensure the host is aware of any additional needs you have beforehand e.g. can’t walk too far, can’t manage stairs, cannot concentrate/sit for too long i.e. will need a break.
The meeting should cover the following things:
- Progress made towards achieving outcomes.
- Whether the current outcomes remain appropriate and if required agree new ones.
- Review the short-term targets and set new ones.
- Review the special educational provision and the arrangements for delivering it to ensure it is still appropriate and enabling good progress.
- Review any health and social care provision and check its effectiveness towards achieving the outcomes.
- Check if the aspirations have changed (consider them in the context of paid employment, independent living and community participation.
- If the young person is in Yr9 or older, the meeting must include consideration of what provision is required to help the young person, to prepare for adulthood and independent living.
The host must prepare a report that includes any recommendations for amendments to be made to the EHCP. This should include where there are differences of opinions and not just the general consensus. This must be sent to everyone who had been invited and the LA within 2 weeks of the meeting taking place.
Upon receiving the report the LA has to make a decision to either:
- Maintain the EHCP (not make changes)
- Change the EHCP (this can mean changing the content, placement or both)
- Cease the EHCP.
The LA must inform the young person/parent of this decision within 4 weeks of the Annual Review meeting.
If the LA decides to cease or maintain the EHCP, it must also notify the young person/parent of their right to appeal. You can read more about appeals on our website.
If the LA decides to amend the plan, they must send the young person/parent a draft EHCP with proposed changes within 4 weeks of the annual review meeting. The final amended plan must be issued within 12 weeks of the annual review meeting.
When it issues the final plan, the LA must inform the young person/parent of their right to appeal. You can read more about appeals on our website.