EHCP Format for Year 9 Onwards

Why might it be of interest?

It is important to know that the format will change and to be prepared to consider your young person’s strengths and needs under the new headings.  Much of what is written in the initial EHCP will transfer easily to the new headings but some strengths and needs will have to be thought about differently to fit into this new format.

The new headings are an opportunity to look forward to where you are going with all the support in the EHCP.

The initial format of Section B of the EHCP has these headings:

• Summary of strengths and special education needs – Overview
• Cognition and Learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Sensory and Physical

The sections for year 9 onwards are (Preparing for Adulthood, PfA):

• Summary of strengths and special education needs – Overview
• Further or Higher Education and/or Employment (also Training / Apprenticeships etc)
• Independence and Independent Living
• Community and Friendships
• Maintaining Good Health

The ‘all ages’ format on the above link suggests that:

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Sensory and Physical equate to Maintaining Good Health
• Communication and Interaction equate to Community and Friendships

It is likely to be possible to import strengths and needs directly from one format to the PfA format but it may also not quite fit – so that’s an opportunity to look at strengths and needs again and ensure that what is in the current EHCP does still reflect the young person.

It is not essential but you can equally use these new headings in Section A to help describe where the support in the EHCP is leading for the young person.  For some of our young people the EHCP will contain a lot of support to meet their needs.  And I personally feel that in the PfA format anyone reading the EHCP should be able to see where you and your young person are aiming to get to.

At year 9 it may not be appropriate to have outcomes reflecting where you hope your young person might be by the time they leave school/college but it’s not unreasonable to include this information in Section A as your aspirations.