The Complete EHCP Guide for Parents in Kent (2026)

Written by a Kent SEND parent. Last updated: March 2026. This guide covers everything: what an EHCP is, how to get one, what it should contain, and what to do when Kent gets it wrong.

1. What Is an EHCP?

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document produced by your local authority (in Kent, that's Kent County Council — KCC). It describes:

• Your child's special educational needs (SEN)
• The outcomes you want your child to achieve
• The support your child must receive in education, health, and social care
• Where that support will be delivered (the school or setting)

EHCPs were introduced in September 2014 by the Children and Families Act 2014, replacing the old system of Statements of Special Educational Needs. The key word is legal. Unlike SEN Support, what is written in an EHCP must be provided. Full stop.

EHCPs can be held from birth to age 25, covering nursery, primary, secondary, sixth form, and college. They don't expire automatically — they are reviewed every year and cease when the young person no longer needs them, or when they turn 25.

2. SEN Support vs EHCP: What's the Difference?

Schools have two ways to support children with additional needs:

If your child's needs are not being met by SEN Support, or if their needs are complex and require specialist provision, it's time to request an EHCP assessment.

3. Who Qualifies for an EHCP?

Any child or young person aged 0–25 may be eligible if they:

• Have special educational needs or a disability (SEND)
• Require provision that is "additional to or different from" what the school normally provides from its own resources

There is no list of qualifying diagnoses. Common reasons for EHCP applications include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, hearing or visual impairment, speech and language difficulties, and mental health needs — but any SEND that requires additional provision can qualify.

Kent County Council must agree to assess your child if it is necessary — meaning there's a reasonable possibility an EHCP would be needed. The threshold to trigger an assessment is lower than many parents realise. If in doubt, apply.

4. The 13 Sections of an EHCP Explained

An EHCP is divided into 13 sections (A–N). Understanding each section helps you spot what's missing or weak in your child's plan.

5. How to Get an EHCP in Kent

The process starts with a request for an EHC needs assessment. Here's who can make this request:

• Parents or carers — you do not need the school's agreement
• The child's school or setting
• The young person themselves (if aged 16–25)
• A health professional (such as a paediatrician or GP)
• A social care professional

Step 1: Write to Kent County Council

Send a letter or email to Kent SEND Assessment and Review Service (STARS) requesting an EHC needs assessment. Your request should include:

• Your child's full name, date of birth, and address
• The name and address of their current school or setting
• A brief description of your child's special educational needs
• Why you believe an assessment is needed (what is not working with current support)
• Any reports or evidence you already have (attach copies, keep originals)

Use our free request letter template — it's structured to cover all the right points.

Send to: Kent SEND Team, KCC, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, ME14 1XX. Or email: kentsenteam@kent.gov.uk. Always send by recorded delivery or email so you have proof of the date.

Step 2: KCC Decides Whether to Assess (6 weeks)

KCC has 6 weeks from receiving your request to tell you whether they will carry out an assessment. They must assess unless they can demonstrate it is not necessary. If they refuse, they must tell you why — and you have the right to appeal that decision to the SEND Tribunal.

Step 3: The Assessment (12 weeks)

If KCC agrees to assess, they must gather evidence from:

• The child's school (educational advice)
• A qualified educational psychologist (EP)
• Health professionals (paediatrician, SLT, OT, CAMHS as relevant)
• Social care (if your child is known to services)
• You (parental advice) — submit this in writing
• Your child (child's advice) — their views must be sought
• Any other relevant professional

You have a legal right to submit your own evidence — don't wait to be asked. Send any private assessments, reports from tutors, letters from specialists, and your own written observations about your child's needs.

Step 4: Decision to Issue (2 weeks)

After the assessment is complete, KCC must tell you whether they intend to issue an EHCP. You have 15 calendar days to respond if they say they will not.

Step 5: Draft EHCP (2 weeks)

If KCC decides to issue an EHCP, they must send you a draft. You have 15 calendar days to review and comment on it. Use this time carefully — this is your primary opportunity to push for stronger provision and accurate language.

Step 6: Final EHCP (20 weeks total)

KCC issues the final EHCP. From this point, the named school must begin delivering the provision. If you disagree with anything in the final plan — needs, provision, or school — you can appeal to the SEND Tribunal within 2 months.

For a fuller step-by-step breakdown with Kent-specific details and common pitfalls, see our EHCP application guide.

6. EHCP Timeline: 20 Weeks and What Happens

7. What a Good EHCP Looks Like

A strong EHCP is specific, measurable, and leaves no room for ambiguity about what must be provided. Here's what to look for:

In Section B (Needs)

• Describes your child as an individual, not a generic autistic/dyslexic/ADHD child
• Covers communication, interaction, cognition, sensory, emotional, and physical needs
• Uses evidence from assessments, not generic descriptions
• Says how needs manifest in school, not just that they exist

In Section F (Provision)

• Every item of provision is specific and quantified: "30 minutes of small-group social skills work twice per week" not "social skills support"
• States who will deliver each item (qualified SLT, trained TA, etc.)
• Includes equipment (e.g., sensory equipment, specific IT)
• Links directly to needs in Section B
• Does not say "access to" (which means nothing) — it says "will receive"

In Section I (School)

• Names a specific school — not just a type of school
• The named school can meet all the provision in Section F

Use our detailed EHCP checklist to work through your child's plan section by section.

8. Choosing a School on the EHCP

When you receive a draft EHCP, you have the right to request a specific school or type of school in Section I. Your options are:

• A maintained mainstream school — state-funded mainstream school
• A maintained special school — state-funded school specifically for children with SEND
• An academy or free school — including special academies
• An independent special school — privately run, funded by KCC if named in the EHCP

Your right to name a school

You can request your preferred school be named in Section I. Kent County Council must agree unless they can demonstrate that:

1. The school is unsuitable for your child's age, ability, aptitude, or SEN, or
2. Placing your child there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or
3. It would be an inefficient use of resources

This is a high bar. "We don't have a place" is not sufficient. If KCC refuses your preferred school without meeting this test, appeal to the SEND Tribunal — the odds are strongly in your favour.

For a guide to Kent's SEND schools, see our SEND schools in Kent guide.

9. Annual Reviews

Every EHCP must be reviewed at least once every 12 months. The annual review is your main opportunity to:

• Update the description of your child's needs
• Change or increase provision if it's not working
• Challenge provision that isn't being delivered
• Raise new needs that have emerged since the last review
• Change the school named in Section I

The school organises the annual review meeting. After the meeting, the school submits a report to KCC within 10 working days. KCC then has 4 weeks to decide whether to amend the EHCP.

Don't show up empty-handed. Put your observations and requests in writing before the meeting. Evidence of provision not being delivered (emails, logs, missed appointments) is especially powerful.

For a full guide to annual reviews — including your rights if provision is reduced — see our EHCP annual review guide.

10. If Things Go Wrong

KCC refuses to assess

You have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal. You must first go through mediation (or get a certificate confirming you don't want to). IPSEA's success rate data shows the majority of families who appeal win.

KCC refuses to issue an EHCP after assessing

Same as above — appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

You disagree with what's in the final EHCP

You have 2 months from the date of the final EHCP to appeal. You can appeal on: the description of needs (Section B), the provision (Section F), the school named (Section I), or the decision to cease an EHCP. You can also appeal at any of these sections at once.

The school isn't delivering what the EHCP says

This is a legal breach. Write to the headteacher and SENCo setting out exactly what's not being delivered and referencing the EHCP. If no action, write to KCC — they have a legal duty to ensure the provision is delivered. If still no action, complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

KCC is taking too long

Write formally, citing the specific statutory deadline they've missed. Keep copies of everything. If they continue to miss deadlines, the LGO can investigate and order compensation.

11. Kent-Specific Contacts

12. Frequently Asked Questions