What happens at an education, health and care plan review

How we'll review your child’s progress to make sure they’re getting the right support, and what happens if a young person goes to university or gets a job.

What happens at the review

An education, health and care (EHC) plan must be reviewed at least once every 12 months. As part of the review we will:

  • ask your and your child’s, or the young person's, views
  • ask you what you want to happen next
  • invite you to a review meeting to talk about your child’s progress
  • look at the support your child gets and the progress they have made towards their outcomes

What happens after the review

Within 4 weeks of the review meeting we will decide if the plan should:

  • continue with no changes
  • continue with some changes
  • stop completely

If an EHC plan stops

Some young people have an EHC plan until they are 25 years old, but this is rare. Most of the time the plan stops before then. 

The plan will stop when a young person:

  • goes to university
  • is 18 years old, or older, and leaves education
  • is 16 years old, or older, leaves education and gets a job
  • is 19 years old and has met the education or training needs in their EHC plan, and no longer needs it
  • doesn't need the EHC plan anymore to get the help they need

We will write to the young person to let them know the plan is going to stop.

Support after the EHC plan

Find out about support for young people with special educational needs to help them get ready for adult life.

Get information about help for college and university students with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability on the GOV.UK website.

If you disagree with a decision

Get in touch with your caseworker for advice.

If you still need help, you can: