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EHCP Checklist for Parents_compressed

Last reviewed: March 2026

Written by: School of Diversity SEND Support Team

Topic: Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

This guide is designed to help parents understand the EHCP process in England and is regularly updated to reflect SEND guidance and procedures.

 

EHCP Checklist for Parents: Reviewing Your Child’s Plan

An EHCP checklist helps parents review their child’s Education, Health and Care Plan to make sure the document clearly describes their needs and the support they should receive. The checklist usually focuses on whether needs are fully recorded in Section B, whether support is clearly written in Section F, and whether the plan reflects the child’s current situation. Reviewing an EHCP carefully helps parents identify missing information or unclear wording.

Key Takeaways

  • An EHCP checklist helps parents review their child’s Education, Health and Care Plan to ensure it clearly describes their needs and support.

  • Section B should accurately describe the child’s special educational needs.

  • Section F should clearly state the special educational provision, including what support will be provided, who will deliver it, and how often.

  • The EHCP should include clear outcomes and appropriate school placement that reflect the child’s needs.

  • Reviewing an EHCP carefully helps parents identify missing information, unclear wording, or support that may need to be strengthened.

Receiving an EHCP can feel overwhelming. The document is long, uses unfamiliar terminology, and it is not always clear whether the plan actually reflects your child’s needs.

This checklist helps parents review an EHCP step by step, so you can identify missing information, vague wording, or areas that may need clarification.

Why reviewing an EHCP carefully matters

An EHCP is a legal document that sets out the support your child must receive.

If important information is missing or wording is unclear, it can become difficult to ensure that support is delivered consistently.

Taking time to review the plan carefully can help ensure that the EHCP reflects your child’s real needs and the support required to meet them.

EHCP Review Checklist for Parents

Use the checklist below when reviewing a draft EHCP or an existing plan.

1. Are your child’s needs clearly described?

Look at Section B of the EHCP.

Check whether the plan clearly describes:

  • Learning difficulties

  • Communication needs

  • Social or interaction differences

  • Emotional wellbeing needs

  • Sensory needs

Ask yourself:

  • Are the needs described clearly?

  • Is anything important missing?

  • Does the wording reflect your child’s daily experiences?

2. Does each need lead to clear support?

Every need listed in Section B should link directly to provision in Section F.

For example:

Need
Difficulty understanding verbal instructions.

Provision
Daily visual instructions and structured prompts from a trained staff member.

If a need appears in Section B but no support appears in Section F, this is something to question.

3. Is the provision specific and measurable?

Support should be clearly defined.

Look for details such as:

  • Who provides the support

  • How often it happens

  • How long it lasts

  • The type of intervention used

For example:

Weak wording
“Access to additional support.”

Strong wording
“15 hours per week of 1:1 support from a trained teaching assistant.”

4. Are vague phrases used?

Be cautious of phrases such as:

  • “Access to”

  • “Opportunities for”

  • “As required”

  • “When appropriate”

  • “Regular support”

These phrases can make provision difficult to enforce.

5. Are outcomes meaningful?

Check Section E (outcomes).

Good outcomes should:

  • Be realistic

  • Show meaningful progress

  • Focus on independence or wellbeing

  • Link to the child’s needs

Outcomes should describe what success looks like, not just general intentions.

6. Is the school placement correct?

Check Section I to confirm:

  • The correct school or setting is named

  • The placement reflects your child’s needs

Parents have the right to express a preference for a school.

7. Are professional reports included?

Look at Section K, which lists the reports used to create the EHCP.

Check whether:

  • Educational psychologist reports are included

  • Therapy reports appear

  • Parent views are recorded

Missing reports may mean important information has not been considered.

8. Does the plan reflect your child’s real experience?

Sometimes EHCPs describe an ideal scenario rather than what actually happens.

Ask yourself:

  • Does this plan reflect my child’s daily challenges?

  • Would someone reading this understand their needs?

  • Is the level of support realistic?

If the answer is no, the plan may need amendments.

9. Are your views included?

Section A should reflect:

  • Your child’s views

  • Your views as a parent

  • Your hopes and aspirations

While this section is not enforceable, it helps ensure the plan reflects your family’s perspective.

10. Is the wording clear enough to enforce?

The most important question when reviewing an EHCP is:

Could someone else read this and clearly understand what support must happen?

If the answer is unclear, the wording may need to be strengthened.

What to do if something needs changing

Parents can request amendments:

  • When reviewing a draft EHCP

  • During an annual review

  • Through mediation or appeal if necessary

Requesting clarification or changes is part of the process and helps ensure the plan works effectively.

Reviewing an EHCP takes time

Many parents worry about getting the review “wrong”. In reality, reviewing an EHCP carefully is a learning process.

Understanding the structure and wording of the plan can help you feel more confident advocating for your child.

At School of Diversity, we aim to provide clear information that helps parents understand SEN processes and make informed decisions.

EHCP Checklist – Parent FAQs

What should parents check in an EHCP?

Parents should check that needs are clearly described, provision is specific, outcomes are meaningful, and support is linked directly to needs.

Section F describes the special educational provision that must be delivered. It is legally enforceable.

Yes. Parents can request amendments during the draft stage, annual reviews, or appeals.

Phrases such as “access to”, “as required”, or “when appropriate” can weaken provision if they are not clearly defined.

Yes. Each need described in Section B should have provision described in Section F

Explore more EHCP guidance

Using an EHCP checklist can help parents review their child’s plan more carefully and identify areas that may need clarification or improvement. If you would like a broader overview of the process, you can explore our complete EHCP guide for parents, where all of our EHCP resources are brought together in one place. It can also be helpful to understand EHCP sections explained (A–K) so you know what each part of the plan should include. When reviewing the support written in the plan, our Section F wording examples show how provision should be described clearly and specifically. You may also want to look at EHCP examples: good vs bad plans, which can help parents recognise the difference between clear, detailed plans and those that may need improvement.