Don’t Take Away Their Lifeline: Why EHCPs Must Be Protected
Hi everyone, I want to talk about something deeply personal and nationally important—education, health, and care plans, or EHCPs. These plans are not just administrative paperwork. They are legally binding lifelines that support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Right now, these very lifelines are under threat.
There’s growing concern across the UK that ministers may overhaul or even phase out EHCPs in mainstream schools. And for many of us—parents, educators, advocates—this is alarming. EHCPs are not luxury add-ons. They’re legal documents that ensure the needs of over 600,000 children are met, giving them access to education, therapies, and tailored support. Without these, thousands could lose access to the very thing every child deserves—a fair chance to thrive.
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Campaigners, including high-profile voices like actor Sally Phillips and broadcaster Chris Packham, are pleading with the government to retain these plans. They’ve formed a movement— Save Our Children's Rights —and sent a powerful letter signed by over 100 leaders, academics, and parents, warning that without EHCPs, many children will simply fall through the cracks.
Let’s be real: local authorities may find EHCPs costly or complex, but removing them won’t make children’s needs disappear. It will only push more into already overstretched special schools—or out of education altogether. That’s not a solution; it’s a setback.
The government says no final decisions have been made, and that reform is needed. Sure, every system needs improvement, but the answer isn’t cutting off essential support. Strengthening the process, increasing efficiency, reducing bureaucracy—those are conversations worth having. But taking away EHCPs risks leaving families powerless and children invisible.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said she’s listening, and I hope that’s true. Because parents are panicking. MPs are getting floods of letters. The anxiety in SEND communities is real—and growing.
EHCPs were introduced in 2014 to guarantee children with special needs get what they need to succeed. And since then, the numbers have surged. That should be a signal—not of failure—but of awareness. More children are being assessed because more families are recognizing needs earlier. Isn’t that what we want?
This is not just about policies. It’s about lives, futures, and dignity. We cannot let short-term budget fixes dismantle long-standing rights. We must stand together to protect EHCPs—not only for today’s children but for generations to come. Because every child matters. And no child should ever be left behind.
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