Herts County Council refused one in three requests for an education health and care plan (EHCP) in 2023

Almost one in three requests for an education health and care plan (EHCP) last year were refused by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC).

An EHCP is a legally binding document that sets out the special educational, health and care needs of a child or young person that must be provided.

Data released by the authority shows that in 2023, a total of 2,857 requests were made for an EHCP and 902 were refused.

According to the data – which has been published on the county council’s Freedom of Information Act disclosure log – the majority of requests (2,211) were submitted jointly by a parent or carer and the education setting. Of these, 608 (27%) were refused.

There were 581 applications submitted solely by a parent or carer – 271 (46%) were refused – and 26 by a young person.

A spokesperson for HCC said support was available for all children and young people with additional needs – regardless of whether they had an EHCP.

“Most children and young people with additional needs don’t require an EHCP to access the support they need, and refusing a request for an EHCP certainly doesn’t mean those families will be unsupported,” they said.

“EHCPs are for children and young people with the most complex needs, but support is available for everyone with additional needs, whether they have an EHCP or not.”