BREAK IT DOWN
Understanding EHC Plans
An education, health and care (EHC) plan is a legal document that outlines a child or young person's special educational, health, and social care needs.
What is an EHC plan?
A legally binding plan for individuals aged 0-25 with significant special educational needs
Provides extra support beyond what a school or college normally offers
Covers education, health, and social care needs
EHC Needs Assessments
Requesting an assessment
Parents, carers, young people (16+), or schools can request an EHC needs assessment by writing to your Local Authority’s (LA) SEND team. In your request you should include:
Personal details (name, DOB, school)
Diagnosis or suspected conditions
Evidence of struggles at school (reports, letters, assessments)
Details of support already tried
Non-Medical Helpers
Specialist Study Skills Tutors
Mental health / AS Mentors
Assistive technology trainers
BSL Interpreters
Guides / Mobility Assistants
How do you apply for the DSA?
Apply for your general student finance
Add DSA to your finance application
Upload medical evidence
Wait to hear from Student Finance asking you to book a needs assessment
What is a needs assessment?
A needs assessment identifies appropriate solutions to enable disability-related study difficulties to be overcome and makes recommendations for how the funding should be used to implement those solutions.
How it works
Needs assessments take around 1 - 2 hours to complete
They can be online or in-person, you choose
You can take a friend or family member with you
They are not an assessment of your disability or ability to study
What happens next?
A report recommending your support is sent to Student Finance
Student Finance decide the recommendations the DSA can fund
You get told how to order the equipment, arrange any non-medical help or claim back any costs