Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) solicitors

Our specialist SEN solicitors support families throughout the EHCP process, from securing an assessment and challenging decisions to reviewing existing plans and ensuring they provide the right support for your child’s needs.

Helping families secure, amend and strengthen EHCPs so children receive the right support at every stage.

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can play a vital role in ensuring a child with special educational needs receives the right support to access education and reach their potential. However, securing an EHCP, ensuring it accurately reflects your child’s needs and challenging decisions made by a local authority can be complex.

Our specialist education solicitors support families throughout the EHCP process, from advising on whether an EHCP is needed and assisting with applications, to challenging refusals, appealing decisions and reviewing existing plans. We work closely with families and relevant professionals to help ensure EHCPs provide the appropriate support and provision your child needs, both now and as their circumstances develop.

Trusted and nationally recognised special educational needs specialists with decades of experience.
Clear, practical support at every stage, helping families navigate complex SEN processes.

Extensive experience across all SEN appeals, including EHCPs, school placements, and SEND Tribunal proceedings.
Transparent and flexible fee structures, including capped fee options where appropriate.

Our EHCP services

Reviewing existing EHCPs

We review EHCPs to ensure they accurately reflect your child’s current needs, identify the right support and provision required, and continue to provide effective support as your child’s circumstances change.

Securing EHC needs assessments

We support families in securing EHC needs assessments, helping to demonstrate why an assessment is necessary and ensuring the local authority properly considers their child’s special educational needs.

Appealing a refusal to assess

We help families challenge refusals to carry out an EHC needs assessment, advising on the evidence needed and supporting appeals to ensure their child’s needs are properly considered.

Challenging a refusal to issue an EHCP

We support families challenging refusals to issue an EHCP, providing expert advice and support to demonstrate why their child’s needs require a legally binding plan and appropriate educational provision.

Appealing EHCP decisions

We advise and represent families where an EHCP does not properly reflect a child’s needs, helping challenge decisions about provision, placement and the support required.

Appealing cease to maintain an EHCP

We advise and represent families appealing decisions to cease maintaining an EHCP, challenging whether the legal test has been properly applied and whether continued provision remains necessary.

EHCP annual reviews

Our SEN solicitors guide families through EHCP annual reviews and any challenges that follow, helping ensure their child’s plan continues to provide the support needed as circumstances change.

EHCP FAQs

What is an EHCP?

An EHCP is a legal document that sets out a child or young person’s special educational needs, the support they require and the outcomes they are working towards. It is designed for children and young people who need more support than can usually be provided through standard SEN support in a school or educational setting.

Because an EHCP is legally binding, it can provide important protection in ensuring the support and provision identified in the plan is properly delivered.

How do I get an EHCP for my child?

To get an EHCP for your child, the process begins by requesting an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment from your local authority. This assessment helps the local authority understand your child’s special educational needs and decide whether an EHCP is necessary.

A request can be made by a parent, a young person, school or someone else involved in supporting your child. The local authority will consider the information available, including evidence from schools, professionals and other relevant sources, before deciding whether to issue an EHCP.

If the local authority refuses to carry out an assessment or decides not to issue an EHCP, you may have the right to challenge the decision through the SEND Tribunal. Our specialist education solicitors can support families throughout the process, from making an initial request and gathering evidence to appealing decisions where necessary.

What should be included in an EHCP?

An EHCP should provide a clear and detailed picture of your child’s needs, the outcomes they are working towards and the support required to help them make progress.

The plan is divided into different sections, each covering a specific aspect of your child’s education, health and care needs:

Section A – Views, interests and aspirations: This captures your child’s views, wishes and goals, as well as the family’s hopes for their future.
Section B – Special educational needs: This sets out your child’s identified special educational needs and should provide a clear description of the difficulties they experience.
Section C – Health needs: This covers any health needs that relate to your child’s special educational needs.
Section D – Social care needs: This includes any social care needs that arise from or are connected to your child’s special educational needs.
Section E – Outcomes: This sets out the outcomes your child is expected to work towards, helping to measure progress over time.
Section F – Special educational provision: This is one of the most important sections of an EHCP. It should clearly specify the support and provision your child requires, including the type, frequency and level of support needed.
Section G – Health provision: This covers health care provision reasonably required because of your child’s special educational needs.
Section H – Social care provision: This includes social care support required because of your child’s special educational needs.
Section I – Placement: This identifies the educational setting your child will attend, such as a mainstream school, special school or other provision.
Section J – Personal budget: This sets out any personal budget arrangements relating to the EHCP.
Section K – Advice and information: This contains the reports and evidence gathered during the EHC needs assessment process.

An EHCP should be specific and accurately reflect your child’s individual needs. In particular, the support set out in Section F should be clear, detailed and enforceable rather than using vague wording. If you believe an EHCP does not properly describe your child’s needs or the support required, our specialist education solicitors can advise on reviewing, amending or challenging the plan.

How long does it take to secure an EHCP?

The EHCP process usually takes up to 20 weeks from the date the local authority receives a request for an EHC needs assessment to the final EHCP being issued. This includes the time needed for the local authority to assess your child’s needs, gather advice from relevant professionals and decide whether an EHCP is necessary.

Where a local authority refuses to assess or decides not to issue an EHCP, families may also have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

How often should an EHCP be reviewed?

An EHCP must usually be reviewed at least once every 12 months through an annual review process. The purpose of the review is to consider whether the plan continues to accurately reflect your child’s needs, whether the support being provided remains appropriate and whether any changes are required.

An EHCP should not remain unchanged if your child’s circumstances or needs develop. Amendments may be needed where there are changes in your child’s education, progress, support requirements or long-term goals. Reviews are particularly important at key transition points, such as when a child is moving between schools, changing educational settings or preparing for the next stage of their education, to ensure the right support and provision are in place.

Can an EHCP name a specific school?

Yes, an EHCP can name a specific school or educational setting. As part of the EHCP process, parents and young people have the opportunity to express a school preference. The local authority must consider this preference when deciding the placement to be named in the EHCP.

Can a school refuse to provide the support in an EHCP?

No. The special educational provision set out in an EHCP is legally enforceable, and a school or educational setting cannot simply refuse to provide the support specified in the plan. The local authority has a legal duty to secure the special educational provision detailed in Section F of the EHCP.

What happens if my child’s needs change after an EHCP is issued?

If your child’s needs change after an EHCP has been issued, the plan may need to be reviewed and amended to ensure it continues to reflect their circumstances and the support they require. An EHCP should not be a static document, it should evolve as your child develops, progresses and moves through different stages of education.

Changes may be needed where there are changes to your child’s learning needs, health or care requirements, educational placement or the type and level of support required. These changes can often be considered through the annual review process, although a review may also be needed sooner where there has been a significant change in circumstances.

Can an EHCP continue after age 16?

Yes. An EHCP can continue beyond the age of 16 and may remain in place up to the age of 25 where a young person continues to need the support and provision set out in the plan. This can apply where they are remaining in education, training or another suitable educational pathway.

As a young person approaches adulthood, the focus of an EHCP may shift towards preparing for the future, including further education, employment, independent living and participation in the community. The plan should continue to reflect the young person’s individual needs, aspirations and goals.

How much does Boyes Turner's SEN services cost?

The cost of our SEN services will depend on the specific circumstances of your case and the level of support you require. Every child’s needs and situation are different, so we provide tailored advice and offer flexible fee arrangements to ensure our support is appropriate for your circumstances.

We will discuss costs with you at the outset and provide clear information about the options available.

Please note that we do not offer legal aid.

Find out more about our fees and funding options.

Why use our EHCP solicitors?

Specialist experience in SEN law: Our solicitors have extensive experience advising families on the full range of special educational needs legal processes. Our expertise ensures you receive clear, accurate advice grounded in a detailed understanding of the law and how local authorities apply it in practice.

Tailored advice focused on your child’s needs: Every child’s circumstances are different. We take the time to understand your child’s individual needs, education and wider circumstances, providing advice tailored to help secure an EHCP that accurately reflects their requirements and provides the right support for their future.

Supportive and collaborative approach: The SEN process can be overwhelming. We work closely with families, schools, professionals and other advisers to develop a clear understanding of your child’s needs and ensure advice, evidence and recommendations are properly considered. This collaborative approach helps ensure your child receives appropriate support both now and as their needs develop.

A leading full-service law firm: Boyes Turner is recognised by Chambers UK and The Legal 500 as a leading law firm. As a full-service firm, our specialist teams can support you with related legal needs where required, including Court of Protection, community care, medical negligence and private wealth, ensuring a cohesive and coordinated approach to your care.

Contact us

If you would like advice about a related matter, please complete the form and one of our SEN specialists will be in touch as soon as possible.

Please note we do not offer legal aid. Read about our fees.

Or give us a call:

0118 467 6547

Related EHCP insights

Our EHCP solicitors

Our SEN case studies

What our clients say

Tribunal for placement

Laxmi helped with my son tribunal case in regard to section I of his EHCP. Our tribunal got brought forward by 6 months early, not giving us much time to get everything in place. Laxmi was great and said we can do it even with just little time left to get prepared and ready for the Tuesday. As a parent, I didn’t know what we needed to send or do, Laxmi took the time to explain everything to us and what we needed to do to prepare for the tribunal. Laxmi went above and beyond to help us and successfully won getting the school we needed for are son to start in September 2024. I would highly recommend Laxmi to take on the local authority in regard to any EHCP appeals. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.

Natalie

What our clients say

We were immediately impressed

We were immediately impressed with James and our initial judgment proved correct as we went on to negotiate with Essex a care package for our daughter. Throughout the process, James supported us and was always on hand to give us excellent advice, source and guide an ISW in writing a report for us, and assist with crafting skilfully worded emails to the Authority. More importantly for us, James was always kind and understanding, and brought a wonderful sense of humour to our meetings. We feel most fortunate to have found him and would not hesitate to recommend him

Kitty Carrick

What our clients say

SEN Tribunal

Laxmi’s exceptional understanding in SEN law combined with her professional, honest and empathic approach gave us the assurance that we had a solicitor who was and would continually do her best on our behalf. We would highly recommend any one seeking a SEN solicitor to use Laxmi.

David Bernstein

What our clients say

Support with the EHCP appeal

We would like to thank the Boyes Turner team, especially Janata Ali, for the exceptional support throughout the process. Just over a year ago we were lost and scared for our child’s future. It is a completely different reality today. Our child is much happier in the new school, with all the support and the quality of teaching, mentoring that he is receiving. It was the right battle to fight. It would not have been possible without Janata’s help, guidance, experience and commitment to our case. We are endlessly grateful, as this means that our child can have a better quality of life now and better prospects in the future.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

SEN support for EHCP

Janata Ali is an expert in n her field which resulted in us winning our case against the local authority to issue an EHCP for our son. Our son will hopefully now thrive and we will be forever grateful for her help and support with our case.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

I would most definitely recommend

James, Laxmi and Daisy, worked so Patrick’s case, due to his very complex profile we had to go through three tribunals. They all worked so hard to secure our son’s placement. I would most definitely recommend James and Laxmi to anyone wishing to pursue the right provision for their young person.

Cath and Phil

What our clients say

I’m thankful

I’m thankful that we found James, without him my son would have been abandoned by his Local Authority. Moving on from college is a stressful process for all the family, & Local Authority knows this & uses this to try & push parents to the limit, by ignoring their responsibility hoping that you will give up . In came James, took pressure off me & onto them . Highly recommend. We won , my son now can start his transition to his next chapter. Thank you.

Rebecca Wallace

What our clients say

James was a pleasure to deal with

We contacted Boyes Turner earlier this year after we ran into a dispute with our local authority. This was about a social care matter and learning disability. The case was handled with professionalism and tact. James was a pleasure to deal with. Clear communication, humour and detailed knowledge of the law in this area.

Andrew

What our clients say

James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable

The help and support we received from James for our son’s EHC plan has been absolutely invaluable. With his help, we were able to secure an outcome that suits our child. James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable and made a very stressful process much more manageable.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

Guiding us through EHCP and transition

James Pantling-Skeet helped us prepare my daughter’s EHCP to gain a good placement for the future. He was patient, extremely knowledgeable, had brilliant contacts, helped withe emotional upheaval and organised meetings with all parties to keep everything on track. We had the best outcome we could have had due to his professionalism. He was very caring too. He and his team worked tirelessly and answered our queries promptly. I would highly recommend their service.

Boyes Turner Client

Recognised leading UK law firm

Boyes Turner is consistently ranked as a leading law firm by top legal directories Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) solicitors

Helping families secure, amend and strengthen EHCPs so children receive the right support at every stage.

Our EHCP services

Reviewing existing EHCPs

Securing EHC needs assessments

Appealing a refusal to assess

Challenging a refusal to issue an EHCP

Appealing EHCP decisions

Appealing cease to maintain an EHCP

EHCP annual reviews

EHCP FAQs

Why use our EHCP solicitors?

Contact us

0118 467 6547

Related EHCP insights

Our EHCP solicitors

Laxmi Patel

James Pantling-Skeet

Rachael Allison

Emma Trevett

Steven Baylis

Janata Ali

Lacie Smith

Rachel Baxter

Daisy Fox-Clarkin

Libby Buxton

Amber Puri

Our SEN case studies

What our clients say

Tribunal for placement

What our clients say

We were immediately impressed

What our clients say

SEN Tribunal

What our clients say

Support with the EHCP appeal

What our clients say

SEN support for EHCP

What our clients say

I would most definitely recommend

What our clients say

I’m thankful

What our clients say

James was a pleasure to deal with

What our clients say

James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable

What our clients say

Guiding us through EHCP and transition

Recognised leading UK law firm

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