Practical guidance for families in England
Check the response period first
Record the date the draft arrived and the response deadline. If fewer than 15 days are allowed, ask for the required period. Ask for an accessible copy and any necessary communication support. Keep the wider 20-week timetable in view without allowing an internal target to remove your draft-stage rights.
Guidance checked on 15 September 2026. Keep the decision letter, relevant plan or request, and the dates that apply to your case.
Review B and F together
Check that B captures every special educational need and F specifies the provision required. Mark vague terms, missing frequency or expertise, and recommendations that appear only in K. Distinguish outcomes in E from provision. Use the child’s actual evidence rather than inserting a standard package.
Check health, social care and placement
Read C, D, G, H1 and H2 for relevant needs and provision. Consider whether any provision that educates or trains belongs in F. Section I should be blank in the draft. State the placement you wish to request and the reasons, recognising that different institution types have different legal routes.
Use an amendment schedule
For each point, record section and paragraph; current text; proposed wording; reason; and evidence with page number. For example, identify exactly what an unclear therapy recommendation needs to specify. Separate factual corrections from disputed professional recommendations so the authority can respond to each.
When the final plan arrives
Compare it with your requested changes. Save the final plan and decision letter. Check appeal rights and the usual two-month or mediation-certificate deadline. A continuing conversation about amendments does not automatically extend that deadline; obtain any changed decision in writing.
Check the documents for this stage
Keep the relevant request, decision notice or plan together with the evidence referred to above. Record the source of each proposed change and the date on which the next action is due. If two accounts differ, explain the difference and seek clarification rather than omitting one account.
Make your response easy to act on
Send the amendment schedule, a short covering message and any necessary evidence. Ask for a meeting if helpful and request written reasons for significant amendments not accepted. Keep proof of delivery. If more evidence is being clarified, explain the issue and date expected without assuming the statutory process automatically pauses.
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Before you take the next step
You should be able to identify the issue, the outcome or information you need, the evidence supporting it and the person responsible for the next action. Keep a copy of what you send and any acknowledgement. The related guides below cover the stages that may follow.
Free information and additional support
Choose help for the question you need answered
Your local SENDIASS offers free information, advice and support. IPSEA also publishes SEND guidance. If a deadline, evidence gap or disputed decision remains unclear, identify the specific question before commissioning paid help. Seek prompt specialist legal advice where an urgent legal remedy may be needed.
How Little Nellie’s can help
Little Nellie’s offers EHCP advocacy, document review, evidence organisation and independent social-work input. Agree the task, deliverable, deadline and fee before instructing. The related service and pricing pages explain the available support.
Little Nellie’s is not a law firm. Its services do not replace the local authority’s statutory duties or guarantee a plan, placement or tribunal outcome. Legal work outside the agreed service scope may require a specialist solicitor.
Related guides and support
Choose the guide for your next question or stage.
Official sources and EHCP services
Official sources: Children and Families Act 2014 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contents
SEND Code of Practice — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
SEND appeal guidance — https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision
Free SEND guidance — https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
The service links below describe Nellie’s paid support. Check current official instructions when filing an appeal.
Discuss the support you need
Send the relevant decision, plan or request and any deadline when enquiring. Ask which service addresses your specific issue and request a clear scope and quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ask for a meeting about the draft?
Yes, the draft stage allows representations and a request for a meeting. Explain the points you need to discuss and keep a written record.
Should I rewrite the entire plan?
Only where necessary. A clear schedule of specific amendments and supporting evidence is often easier to assess than an unexplained replacement document.
Can I appeal a draft?
The usual appeal rights arise from specified final decisions. Respond to the draft and check the rights in the final decision letter; seek advice about serious delay or other urgent issues.
Where can I find free SEND information?
Your local SENDIASS provides free information, advice and support. IPSEA publishes guidance on the SEND system. Use the direct links in the sources section and check any service’s current availability.
What should I send when asking Little Nellie’s for help?
Send the relevant request, decision letter or plan, the key evidence and any deadline. Explain the specific task you need help with so the scope and fee can be agreed.
Does this guide apply outside England?
This guide concerns the EHCP framework in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different education and support systems; check guidance for the relevant jurisdiction.