Overview
The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice (2015) says that children and young people with SEND should start preparing for adult life from Year 9. To help with this, Section B of the Education, Health and Care plan (which lists special educational needs) uses different headings depending on the child’s age.
Headings we use
| Early Years – Year 8 | Year 9 and above |
|---|---|
| Early Years – Year 8Cognition and Learning | Year 9 and aboveLearning and Work |
| Early Years – Year 8Communication and Interaction | Year 9 and aboveCommunity and Friends |
| Early Years – Year 8Sensory and/or Physical Social, Emotional and Wellbeing | Year 9 and aboveBeing Healthy |
| Early Years – Year 8Self Help and Independence Skills and Keeping Safe | Year 9 and aboveLiving Independently |
These highlight the different things to think about as your child approaches adulthood. To find out more about what could be available and possible routes for your child, visit Imagine the Possibilities page.
Changing headings
Once a child reaches Year 9, their Education, Health and Care plan won’t automatically change. The plan will only be updated if changes are needed during the annual review. This means many children in Years 9–11 will keep the same information in Section B until the plan is updated in Year 11 for the phase transfer. However, from Year 9 onwards, preparation for adulthood will still be discussed at every annual review.
Transferring decision-making rights
When a young person reaches the end of compulsory school age – the last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16 – some rights related to Education, Health and Care plans move from their parents to them.
They will have the right to:
- ask for an EHC needs assessment
- make representations about the content of your EHC plan
- ask that a particular education setting is named in your plan
- request a personal budget
- appeal to the SEND tribunal
Young people will still be able to ask their parents, or others, to help them if they are happy for them to do so.
If they do not have the mental capacity to make a decision on their own, then their parents will be assumed to be making the decisions on their behalf unless the Court of Protection has appointed a Deputy.