EHCP help & advice
New to the EHCP?
Start here.
The letters, the forms, the deadlines — it's a lot, and no one hands you a map. So here's the whole thing in plain English, and a specialist you can talk to whenever it stops making sense.
A 25-min call with a vetted UK SEND specialist · £35 · no subscription
The EHCP journey
What the whole process looks like
One acronym-heavy system, a handful of stages. Here's the shape of it, start to finish — so you can see where you are and what comes next.
You — or your child's school — request an EHC needs assessment from the local authority. They have six weeks to say yes or no.
If they agree, specialists gather evidence — educational, health and care — to build a picture of your child's needs.
You get a draft plan to check and respond to, then a final EHCP naming the support and the school. The whole process should take 20 weeks.
Once you have a plan, it's reviewed each year so it keeps pace with your child — your chance to update outcomes and push for changes.
Wherever you are
Find the right help for your stage
The EHCP journey has a few distinct stages, and each needs something different. Here's where to go next.
Applying for an EHCP
How to make a request that's strong enough to actually get approved — the evidence, the parental views, the wording an LA responds to.
Get application support →Appealing a decision
Refused an assessment or a plan, or got one that's too weak? Your options, the deadlines, and how to build a winning case.
Get appeal support →Annual review prep
A review coming up? How to write parent views, what to ask for, and how to push for the changes your child needs.
Get review support →No waiting lists, specialists on-demand
HCPC verifiedDr Helen Marsh
EHCP & Evidence · Ed. Psych
Explains the whole EHCP process in plain English and helps you work out exactly where you are and what to do next.
RCSLT verifiedMei Chen
Plans & Provision · SLT
Makes sense of letters, drafts and reports, and tells you straight what they mean for your child.
HCPC verifiedSophie Bennett
Everyday Needs · OT
A calm, knowledgeable first port of call when the whole thing feels overwhelming and you just need someone in your corner.
Good to know
Your rights as a parent
The system can feel stacked against you. It helps to know what you're actually entitled to.
You can request an assessment yourself
You don't have to wait for school. Any parent can ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment directly.
A refusal is not the end
Most parents who appeal to the SEND tribunal succeed. You have the right to mediation and to appeal, within set deadlines.
Your views must be taken into account
What you see at home is evidence. The law requires the local authority to consider your views throughout the process.
Support should be specific and quantified
Vague provision is hard to enforce. You can push for support that's named, quantified and actually deliverable.
Remarkable Minds vs. The Current System
What it actually feels like to get support: through us, or through the system.
Common questions
- What is an EHCP, in plain English?
- An Education, Health and Care Plan is a legal document for children and young people up to 25 whose needs can't be met by the usual school support. It sets out their needs, the outcomes to aim for, and the specific support the local authority must provide.
- I don't even know where to start.
- That's exactly what this is for. Book a short call, tell a specialist what's going on, and they'll tell you plainly where you are in the process and the single best next step — no jargon, no judgement.
- Do I need a solicitor?
- Usually not. Most of the EHCP journey — applying, gathering evidence, even appealing — is about SEND knowledge and good preparation, which is what our specialists do. For specific points of law a solicitor can help, and we'll tell you honestly if that's the case.
- Is it really only £35 to talk to someone?
- Yes — £35 for a focused 25-minute call with a vetted SEND specialist, no subscription. Privately, an hour of this kind of expertise often costs £120 to £150. We built Remarkable Minds so it doesn't have to.
- What if I need more than one call?
- You only ever book what you need. If your situation calls for ongoing help, there are focused sessions and bundles for each stage — applying, appealing and reviewing — and your specialist will point you to the right one.
You don't have to work it out alone.
Tell a vetted SEND specialist what's going on and get a clear, honest next step — £35 for a 25-minute call, no subscription.