The Annual Review Process of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan)

At least four weeks prior to the meeting, the setting will contact you to:

• Arrange a date for your annual review meeting.
• Ask about your communication preferences and any access arrangements (for example: interpreters, accessible venue, online/face-to-face preference).
• Invite you to share your views by completing the Parent Contribution to Annual Review form (PDF, 140KB). This may be done together with the setting or independently.
• Ask if you would like to bring someone with you for support (for example, a friend, family member, advocate, or professional who knows your child).
• Tell you who is invited to attend and give you the opportunity to invite anyone else you feel needs to attend.

Your child’s/young person’s views will generally be gathered by the setting. It is sometimes helpful to discuss your child/young person’s views at home to and bring them along should you wish to.

Professionals working with your child/young person will be invited to attend or be asked to provide written advice. You will receive copies of this advice two weeks before the meeting.

In preparation for the meeting, it can help to think in advance about how things are going at home, in settings, or with your health and social care support (if applicable). Questions to consider are:

• What is going well?
• What support is helping?
• What could be better?
• What would you like to change?
• What is important for the future?

Further information on preparing for school meetings can be found on the Warwickshire Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) Webpage.

The purpose of the annual review meeting is to:

• To check the plan is still relevant and reflects the child/young person’s needs.
• Review effectiveness of provision in section F and the progress made towards the outcomes in section E in the EHC Plan.
• Plan next steps and targets for the coming year.
• Consider the continuing appropriateness of the EHC Plan and recommend any changes to this that might be necessary, including setting placement if necessary.

Who attends the Annual Review?

Annual Reviews are usually led and coordinated by the setting’s SENDCO (or another appropriate member of staff, such as a class teacher). The meeting normally lasts approximately one to two hours.

Other people that may attend (or provide advice) include:

• You (parents/carers) and, where appropriate, your young child/person. Discussions should be had before the meeting to determine the appropriateness of conversations and the presence of the child/young person and parent carer(s) to ensure that the child/young person is not negatively affected and is happy with what information is shared.
• Current setting staff (for example, class teacher, SENDCO, key/support staff).
• Professionals involved with your child/young person (for example, Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist).
• Social care and health representatives where relevant.
• Anyone else you or the setting/local authority think should be involved.
• A SEND Assessment and Review Team (SENDAR) Plan Co may attend in some circumstances, but not all annual review meetings. Priority for SENDAR Plan Co attendance will be given where:
• the setting considers that they are no longer able to meet the child/young person’s needs.
• there may be communication or relational difficulties between the school and family, or
• a specialist placement is being considered ahead of a phase transfer.

If you would like your Plan Co to attend the Annual Review Meeting, your setting can indicate this on the Annual Review Planning Form. You can also contact your Plan Co directly if you would like to talk further about the Annual Review. Please, liaise with your setting in the first instance.

How will my child/young person be involved in the Annual Review meeting?

Your child/young person should be supported to share their views. Some children/young people will attend all or part of the meeting; others may contribute in different ways (for example, through a written form, pictures, a video, or by sharing views with a trusted adult who can bring them to the meeting).

If you have any questions about how your child’s views will be gathered and represented, speak to the setting.

• The setting will write up the review paperwork and share it with the people who attended/invited to the meeting. This is usually done within two weeks of the meeting.
• The paperwork is sent to SENDAR so a decision can be made to maintain, amend, or cease the EHC Plan.
• You will be notified of the decision 4 weeks after the meeting. If amendments to the EHC Plan are proposed, you will receive a Notice to Amend showing suggested changes. You have at least 15 calendar days to respond (you can ask for more time if you need it). A final amended EHC Plan must be issued within 12 weeks of the annual review meeting.

Possible outcomes of the Annual Review process

1. Maintain the EHCP

The local authority may decide the EHC Plan stays the same because no significant changes are needed.

2. Amend the EHCP (Notice to Amend)

If the local authority decides to amend the EHC Plan, you will be sent a Notice to Amend letter. This is a formal letter outlining the proposed changes to the EHC Plan (for example, updated information, new wording, or removed text).

• You have at least 15 calendar days to respond and share your views on the proposed amendments.
• The local authority will consider your views and (where needed) consult with the setting school, or college.
• A final amended EHCP must be issued within 12 weeks of the Annual Review meeting.

3. Cease the EHCP

SENDAR proposes to end the EHC Plan because it believes it is no longer needed (for example, needs can be met through SEN Support without an EHC Plan, or the young person is moving on to higher education or employment).

What to do if you disagree with the decision

If you are worried about a recommendation or the decision, it’s often best to raise this as early as possible. You can talk to the setting (usually the SENDCO) and/ or your SENDAR Plan Co. They can explain the decision and explore whether anything can be resolved before an appeal is considered.

You can only appeal to the SEND Tribunal after the local authority has issued a decision or after a final amended EHC Plan is issued. You cannot appeal at the Notice to Amend stage.

View further information about the appeals process