Draft and final EHC Plan

Negotiating the content that matters most

If the council agrees to issue a plan, you'll get a draft to comment on. This is your strongest point of leverage.

Your rights: Provision in Section F must be specific enough that anyone reading it knows exactly what should happen, when, and by whom.

Common pitfall: Vague wording like 'access to' or 'as appropriate' makes a plan almost impossible to enforce later.

Your voice: This is the single most important moment to speak up. Every change you request must be considered by the council, and your reasoning becomes part of the formal record.

• Check Section B (needs) and Section F (provision) line up — every need must have matching provision

• Make sure provision is specific and quantified ('3x weekly, 1:1, 30 minutes' not 'regular access to')

• Name a specific school in Section I — you have the right to request a particular setting