Q:

Does anyone know how much detail should be included in EHCP Section A? (I am requesting an EHC needs assessment and the local authority has asked us ...

Does anyone know how much detail should be included in EHCP Section A? (I am requesting an EHC needs assessment and the local authority has asked us to complete Section A before they take it any further. I don't know if they want a full history, he is a teenager, or if we should focus on the immediate problems.)

M

May 230
SEN family
23 May 2022

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A: SenseCheck

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  • 12 Mar 2023
  • Yes

    Simple

    Yes. 

    There are no strict rules, but here’s some ideas…

    1. Avoid writing too much. For big boxes like “Child’s journey so far”, aim to answer in less than 400 words. For shorter boxes, aim for less than six sentences. Being concise stops vital info being drowned out.

    2. Don’t underestimate the power of a one line answer. For example, if you’ve been through a difficult year, when asked about your aspirations: “That teachers see Jade as a wonderful person, not a burden.”

    3. Bullet points and lists are great.

    4. Key things to get in are:

    • What is fab about your child? This helps new workers strike up a great rapport with your child.
    • What do you want for your child long term (e.g. a job, living on their own)? This helps staff remember that getting dressed independently might be more important than neat handwriting.
    • A summary of the journey so far (e.g. issues at birth, trauma, dates of any diagnosis, schools they’ve attended).
    Aaron King

    Aaron King
    9000 Lives SEND Consultancy

  • 09 Jun 2022
  • Yes

    Complex

    One aim of the Support SEND Kids charity is to share 'real-life' EHCP documents to help surface 'best practice'. For parents starting on their EHCP journey it can help to see a completed document to get an idea of the depth and scope of what is covered. While all children are different and have individual needs, seeing how specific to be about provisions: who? what? when? for how long? how often? with what outcomes? can be a great help. View the contributions, made by our members, to Section A to see what level of detail has been included.

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    SEND Kids

    SEND Kids
    Support SEND Kids