ABSTRACT
This chapter explores Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), the ‘single plan’ that has replaced Statements of Special Educational Needs. It describes the process in which these plans sit and to what extent they can support children and young people and their families to get the lives and outcomes they want. In 2014 Edward Timpson promised that the new legislation would be the most significant reforms of their kind for over 30 years. The significance of this shift towards placing the child or young person in the centre reflects a positive move towards putting the individual at the heart of practice, with professionals working to support the individual to make decisions about their own lives. The EHCP replaced the Statement of Special Educational Needs under the Children and Families Act 2014. The introduction of the EHCPs was seen as a significant improvement in child-centred practice at the local authority level, but reception has been mixed.
