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SEND decision making in Somerset

Panels and professionals involved in decisions about the Education Health and Care needs assessment, plan and annual review processes

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Education, Health and Care plans: Step by step

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Education, Health and Care plans: Step by step

The process of support for children and young people who have significant special educational needs and/or disabilities

1Advice and support

Information on what SEND is and the support that an EHC plan provides

  1. Understanding Special Educational Needs
  2. Identifying Special Educational Needs
  3. Getting SEN support and EHC plan advice
  4. SEND decision making in Somerset
  5. Education, Health and Care plan myth busting
  6. Understanding what Education, Health and Care plans are

    2Education, Health and Care needs assessments

    Find out how a request is made, how to find out the progress, and what happens during the needs assessment

    1. When a request for assessment is needed
    2. Make a request for an Education Health and Care needs assessment
    3. Deciding if an assessment is needed
    4. Completing the Education Health and Care needs assessment

      3Education, Health and Care plans

      Find out how the plan is drafted, sharing your preferences, and what happens after the plan is issued

      1. Drafting the Education, Health and Care plan
      2. Education, Health and Care plans and preparing for adulthood
      3. Education, Health and Care plans and school placements
      4. Education, Health and Care plans and choosing your support
      5. Issuing the Education, Health and Care plan
      6. Provision within the Education, Health and Care plan

        4Education, Health and Care plan reviews

        Find out about what happens at and after a review

        1. Education, Health and Care plan annual review meetings
        2. Education, Health and Care annual review decisions
        3. Education, Health and Care plans when moving into or out of Somerset
        4. Ceasing an Education, Health and Care plan

          5Right to appeal

          Understanding why decisions were made, and how solve issues or challenge decisions

          1. Resolving disagreements
          2. Education, Health and Care plans tribunals

            Introduction

            The SEND Code of Practice says councils must have moderation groups to make decisions clear and fair. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHC plans) need input from different agencies. Panels of professionals meet during the process to make decisions in areas they know best.

            Assessing, issuing and amending plans

            Locality Triage looks at requests for EHC needs assessments. It decides if the assessment should go ahead and, if agreed, whether to issue a plan for mainstream or specialist provision. The panel also reviews requests to change plans after annual reviews.

            Find out more about Locality Triage on our Multi-agency Meetings page.

            Auditing

            The Education, Health and Care Plan Standards Group includes professionals, parent carers and young people. They check that EHC plans in Somerset are the best they can be. The group reviews audits, reports, annual reviews and learning from tribunals.

            Find out more on our Education Health and Care Plan Standards Group page.

            Teams contributing

            The work behind the scenes gives panels the right information to make fair decisions.

             Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Assessment and Review

            • Manage Education, Health and Care needs assessments
            • Review Education, Health and Care plans
            • Lead annual reviews for children who are home educated
            • Educational Psychologists carry out assessments to identify needs

            Virtual School

            • Support SEND processes for children with complex education needs
            • Monitor children with EHC plans who are not in school or on Educated otherwise than at school (EOTAS) programmes
            • Track children with acute and complex education needs or vulnerabilities
            • Lead annual reviews for EOTAS programmes
            • Process funding requests and build alternative provision
            • Oversee disputes, mediations and tribunals

            Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)

            • Link health services with education and care teams
            • Make sure health advice for EHC plans is clear and accurate
            • Support panels with health-related decisions
            • Help resolve health issues in assessments, reviews and tribunals

            Last updated: January 26, 2026

            Next review due: July 26, 2026

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