The notes from a two hour session that we ran in Trafford in October 2017. Julie and Elaine, our Independent Supporters guide you through the review process.

1. Wraparound/Independent Support
Service Trafford
Making Sense of your
Annual Review

2. Education, Health and Care Plans
(EHCP’s)
EHC Plans: A brief background
• Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP’s) were introduced on 1st September
2014 and replace Statements of Special Educational Needs.
• EHCP’s are bound by a SEND Code of Practice which sets out duties of care and
guidance regarding EHCP needs assessment, support and provision for children
and young people with SEN.
• EHCP’s are ‘outcomes’ and ‘aspirations’ focused. They look at the social,
emotional, physical, health and educational needs of children and young people
with SEN and the support needed to achieve their outcomes/aspirations.
• EHCP’s support young people until they are twenty five as long as they are in
education, training or until their outcomes have been achieved.
• EHCP’s enable increased parent/carer, child and young people participation
within decision making, support and provision.

3. You have your EHC Plan-So what’s next?
Let’s recap on your EHC Plan
The plan should be ‘SMART’:
Specific – Information should be ‘specific’ and not vague.
Measurable – Progress should be ‘measurable’.
Achievable – Outcomes/aspiration should be ‘achievable’ for the child or
young person.
Realistic – Outcomes and aspirations should be ‘realistic’ and within the reach
of the child or young person.
Timebound – Support, provision and outcomes should be timebound e.g. a
timeframe for implementation, when achieved/reached.
The EHCP should be ‘person centred and contain contributions from children,
young people, parents/carers.
The EHCP should be ‘co-produced’ and contain information from health, therapy,
education and social care professionals.
Needs should be clearly explained and support/provision outlined within the
EHCP.

4. A reminder of Aspirations and Outcomes
Johnny
Aspiration
Johnny is twelve years old would like to go out and travel on his own
independently by the time he is sixteen years old.
Outcomes
By the time Johnny is sixteen he will:
• Have developed his knowledge regarding road safety. e.g. how to cross the road.
• Be aware of ‘stranger danger’ and who to approach safely for help if necessary
when out on his own.
• Have learnt/accessed travel training so that he knows how to navigate public
transport e.g. reading bus/tram timetables or which stop to get off at.
• Have developed his understanding of money and it’s value so that he can pay for
public transport and is not vulnerable in the community.

5. The Annual Review Meeting
• An annual review should be held on the anniversary of the date that your EHC
plan was issued, although some schools/colleges will hold this at the end of
the academic year in July.
• A parent can request an interim review or an early annual review if the child or
young persons needs or provision have changed substantially or when they are
transitioning from one education setting to another e.g. high school to college.
• Health and social care professionals may attend the annual review to forward
information, reports and contributions regarding the child or young persons
needs or rate of progress.
• If the young person is transitioning from children’s to adult social care or
health services, professionals from these agencies may also attend the annual
review to gather information regarding the young persons needs.
• If the child or young person is transitioning to another educational placement
e.g. high school or college, educational professionals from these provisions
may also attend the annual review to learn about the child or young persons
support needs prior to the transition.

6. • If the young person is in Year 9 or above, the annual review will also focus on
preparation for adulthood e.g. independence and life skills, and what support the
young person may need in these areas.
• An annual review meeting takes place to review how well your child or young
person is reaching their outcomes/aspirations and what support they may need
to achieve those outcomes.
• The annual review will look at the outcomes within the EHCP plan. If a child or
young person has met their outcomes by the time of the annual review, other
outcomes may be compiled to support in moving them towards their aspiration/s.
• Where/if appropriate the child or young person can attend the annual review to
forward their views, wishes and opinions along with their parents/carers.
• The child or young person may wish to prepare a short presentation to share with
attendees at the annual review meeting.
• The annual review should be ‘person centred’, placing the child or young person
at the ‘centre’ of the meeting.
• Attendees may actively contribute to the annual review through verbal dialogue
with the child or young person, or written contributions which are shared at the
meeting.

7. Before the Annual Review
• The educational provision is responsible for organising the annual review and
circulating invitations to relevant attendees.
• Parents/carers should receive two weeks notification before the annual review
meeting.
• Parents/carers and young people (where appropriate) will be asked to complete a
form in order to contribute their views, wishes and opinions. This is called an AR2
form. The child or young person will be asked to complete an AR1 form.
• The school will complete the AR2 form and you should receive a copy of it before
the annual review meeting. If this does not happen you are allowed to ask for the
meeting to be postponed /rescheduled to allow time to review the form.
• Where appropriate, reports from health, therapy or social care professionals may
also be forwarded to parents/carers before the annual review.
• Parents/carers can request the attendance of relevant health, therapy or social
care professionals at the annual review.

8. Preparing for the Annual Review
• Read through the school AR2 form and its sections carefully in good time before
the annual review.
• Check that all the information on the AR2 form is correct and up to date. If there
are discrepancies, make a note of them and forward to school for revision before
the annual review.
• Read through the EHC plan to remind of provision, support and outcomes agreed.
• If anything has changed regarding your child’s or young persons needs or
outcomes since the EHC plan was finalised, make a note so that they can be
discussed at the annual review meeting.
• Check that all relevant health, therapy or social care attendees have been invited
to the annual review meeting.
• Locate relevant reports from health, therapy or social care professionals to read
before the meeting and refer to during the meeting.

9. • Write down any questions that you may have regarding your child’s or young
persons support needs or outcomes for discussion at the annual review. Has
anything changed that you would like to discuss?
• Practice and focus on what you ‘want to say ‘or discuss at the annual review e.g.
key questions or issues.
• Think about any particular educational, health, therapy or social care outcome you
would like from the meeting?
• Forward written comments or questions to school/college before the meeting
ready for discussion.
• If you need professional support at the annual review, approach the relevant
agencies or professionals in good time before the meeting to arrange.

10. During the Annual Review
• Try to remain calm and focused on what you want to say or discuss at the
meeting.
• Refer to any notes made in preparation for the annual review to remind you of
what you want to say or discuss.
• Ensure that you are ‘heard’ and that your views, wishes and opinions are
represented at the annual review meeting.
• If not forwarded beforehand, note if any reports from relevant educational,
health, therapy or social care professionals are absent.
• Refer to any reports you have from health, therapy and social care professionals
during the meeting.
• Check that all the sections within the EHC plan have been discussed and any
future actions noted.
• A local authority officer may attend the annual review and you can request their
presence before the meeting.

11. After the Annual Review Meeting
• You should receive minutes of the annual review meeting from school/college.
• School/college will send information from the annual review to the local authority.
• If attended by a local authority officer, information will be gathered for insertion
into the plan where/if required.
• The local authority will decide whether to keep the plan as it is, amend it or cease
the plan. The local authority should inform parents of their decision within four
weeks of the annual review.
• Any agreed actions should be enacted in a timely way in accordance with the child
or young persons, educational, health or social care needs.
• Where/if appropriate, the EHC plan should be revised from discussion and agreed
actions with the annual review.
• If amended, the EHC plan should be re-issued to parents for review and reference.
School or college should also receive a copy of the amended plan.
• Where a EHC plan is revised, check that all agreed actions, outcomes and provision
discussed at the annual review are clearly written into the plan.
• If an interim review meeting is agreed at the annual review, check arrangements for
the meeting e.g. date/time, venue.

12. Thank You!
Any questions?