An EHCP isn’t just paperwork. It’s a promise.

Today, Parliament’s debating whether the legal right to assessment and support for children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) should remain.

 

For so many, an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is much more than just a piece of paper. It’s a lifeline that ensures they get what they need to learn, grow and thrive in education, and it can last up to the age of 25.

 

An EHCP is a legal document. By law, if you have an ECHP, the agreed support, expertise and equipment you need must be provided. If you’re vision impaired, your EHCP might include:

 

• Sessions from a Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI)
• Help from a Qualified Habilitation Specialist to learn independence and life skills - like moving around safely, cooking, or using public transport
• Ensuring your learning materials are in an accessible format, such as large print, braille, raised or tactile diagrams.
• Having the right technology, like a screen reader
• One-to-one specialist classroom support

 

Unfortunately, if you don’t have an EHCP, getting that support is much harder. It’s also much easier to take away.

 

Only 27.3% of young people with a vision impairment have an EHCP in place. Figures from the DfE suggest that only 0.16% of pupils have vision impairment as their primary need on their EHCP, with many more as a secondary need, bringing that figure to 0.2%. The remainder don’t have an EHCP at all, which means access to the support, expertise or equipment they need to access their education isn’t guaranteed. This is why having an EHCP is so important.

 

The number of QTVIs in England has dropped significantly over the years. There are currently around 605 in the whole of the country, to support tens of thousands who’d benefit. And we know from our experiences at RSBC Dorton College that maintaining the quality and regularity of that support is essential.

 

The current system is by no means perfect, and there’s no question that reform is needed. But the answer isn’t to simply take EHCPs away. The system needs reform to:

 

·         Provide more consistency across Local Authorities;

·         Ensure accountability is in place to get things right first time; and to

·         Review each young person’s support requirements more regularly and consistently, to reflect the reality of their needs as they grow and as things change around them.

 

If the government’s aim is to include more SEND children and young people in mainstream education, having an EHCP will only become even more critical to ensure the specialist support, expertise and equipment is in place to access their education with equity. And it’s why the cut off age for EHCPs remaining at 25 is vital, to avoid a cliff edge that could leave so many behind at such a pivotal transition stage.

 

We’re proud to be a member of the Disabled Children’s Partnership, which has campaigned tirelessly to save EHCPs. More than 10,000 people recently signed an open letter written by 19-year-old Hannah Steadman, who bravely and powerfully shared her story and highlighted why EHCPs matter.

 

She said: “I wanted to write this letter and share my story, because I truly feel that having an EHCP was the thing that salvaged what was left of my education, and I want other young people to have that legal right to support too.”

 

We very much hope policymakers listen to stories like Hannah’s – and so many others. Education is precious, and every child deserves the chance to fulfil their full potential.