Are EHCPs Coming to an End? What Parents Need to Know

The government has signalled big changes ahead for the SEND system – and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are at the centre of the debate.

With the number of EHCPs more than doubling in the past decade and local authority budgets under huge pressure, ministers have called the current system “unsustainable” and are exploring radical reform. One idea being discussed is limiting EHCPs to children in specialist schools, while mainstream settings provide support through alternative pathways.

Importantly, the Education Secretary has promised that any changes will not strip away legal rights to support. The focus, they say, is on creating a simpler, fairer process that still guarantees the help children and families rely on – but without the complexity and delays parents often face now.

Details of the reforms are expected in the next schools white paper. For now, families should know change is coming – but support for children with SEND will remain a legal duty, even if the EHCP process itself looks very different in future.