Annual review of an EHC plan

Introduction

If a child or young person has an education, health and care (EHC) plan, we (the local authority) must review it at least once a year.

An annual review meeting will take place. It requires everyone involved with the child or young person to come together. It will consider:

The progress towards achieving the outcomes written in the EHC plan
Whether anything has changed
For children under five years of age, the annual review should take place every three to six months. This is to take account of the faster pace of growth and development in early years

A child or young person's educational setting will arrange the annual review on our (the local authority's) behalf and send out written invitations.

If there is concern about progress of a child or young person, the parent carer or the educational setting may request that the review be arranged sooner than planned.

Annual reviews should take into account the views, wishes and feelings of children, young people and parents.

Before the annual review

What is the purpose of an annual review?

Everyone involved in helping achieve the written outcomes in the EHCP is brought together
Information is gathered and considered so it can be used to support future progress
The effectiveness of any special educational, health or social care provision made for the child or young person is considered
Any changes that need to be made to the EHCP, including medium and long term outcomes, are considered
It will be considered whether the EHCP should continue or cease

For young people in Year 9 and above, the annual review should have a focus on preparing for adult life. Visit the preparing for adult life (PfAL) section of this website for further information.

What happens before the meeting?

The head teacher/principal (sometimes delegated to the SENCO) must:

Send out written invitations to those invited to attend the annual review meeting stating date, time and venue
Ask for written reports from parent carers/teachers or tutors/other people invited to the annual review meeting
Encourage the child/young person to think about and give their views about how they think things are going, in a way that is comfortable to them individually. This could be through any appropriate method, e.g. words, pictures, symbols or video
Encourage the child/young person to attend all or part of their annual review meeting and to have a say about how they want their annual review meeting to be organised
Send out written reports to all of the people invited to the annual review meeting at least two weeks before the date of the meeting

During the annual review

Who might attend the review meeting?

The head teacher or principal (or SENCO) must invite the following people:

Child or young person
Parent carer(s)
A relevant teacher (class teacher or form teacher, the SENCo, or some other person who is responsible for the provision of the child or young person's education)
A representative from the local authority such as the EHCP Co-ordinator (however they will not be able to attend every annual review meeting)
A health service representative if relevant
A social care representative if relevant
Anyone else the head teacher / principal, child / young person or parent carer(s) considers appropriate

It is unlikely that everyone invited to attend will be able to make the annual review meeting. But it is important that the date and time is convenient for parent carers, and anyone else who it is important to have at the meeting.

What happens at the annual review meeting?

The annual review meeting must focus on progress made towards achieving the outcomes written in the EHCP. During the annual review meeting, the EHCP must be looked at to see if it still meets the needs of the child or young person.

The following points will normally be discussed:

The extent to which the outcomes in the EHCP, or those agreed at the previous annual review meeting have been met
Medium and long term outcomes for the period. There should be a focus on preparing for adult life (PfAL) for young people in Year 9 and above
Planning the support from the educational setting and other people to help achieve these outcomes
Any further action required and who will be responsible for doing it
Whether the EHCP needs amending or is no longer needed
Personal budgets - how is it working or is one is being requested
For young people over 18 - have the training and educational outcomes been achieved

If anyone does not agree with what is being discussed at the meeting, this should be noted in the annual review paperwork to let the others know. But if this is difficult, write to the EHCP Coordinator after the meeting to let them know.

After the annual review

What must the educational setting do after the meeting?

Within two weeks:

The educational setting must complete the Annual / Interim Review of an Education, Health and Care plan form. This must set out recommendations on any amendments or changes required to the EHC plan. It should refer to any differences between the setting's recommendations and those of others attending the meeting.

The report must be sent to everyone invited to the annual review meeting.

The report must also be sent to cs.senannualreviews@norfolk.gov.uk, or by post to:

SEN Operational Support Team
Children's Services
Room 16, Professional Development Centre
144 Woodside Road
Norwich
NR7 9QL

What must we (the local authority) do after the meeting?

Within four weeks of the annual review meeting:

We (the local authority) must let the young person or parent carers know in writing of the decision to:

Maintain the EHC plan as it is
Amend or change the EHC plan
Cease to maintain the EHC plan

The letter must tell the parent carers about:

Their right to appeal any decision and the time limits for doing so
The requirement of the young person / parent carers to consider mediation should they wish to appeal
Contact information for disagreement resolution and advice and support from Norfolk SEND Information Advice Support Service (IASS) Partnership