EHCP and SEND support for families in England
When support is missing or an EHCP does not reflect your child's needs, it helps to know what to do next. We review the evidence, prepare the documents and support you through the stage…
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Section K: using the evidence behind an EHCP
Section K lists and attaches the advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment. It helps you check where the plan’s statements came from, whether important evidence is missing and whether professional recommendations have been translated into the needs and provision sections.
Section K lists and attaches the advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment. It helps you check where the plan’s statements came from, whether important evidence is missing and whether professional recommendations have been translated into the needs and provision sections.
Practical guidance for families in England
Make an evidence index
List each report’s author, role, date, purpose and the questions it addresses. Check that the documents referred to in the plan are attached or available to you. Identify earlier versions so that an outdated recommendation is not confused with the current advice.
Guidance checked on 15 September 2026. Keep the decision letter, relevant plan or request, and the dates that apply to your case.
Trace recommendations into the plan
For each important recommendation, record its page, the need described and the corresponding plan wording. If advice identifies a special educational need, check B. If it recommends special educational provision, check F. Health and social-care advice may inform several sections; the profession of the author does not alone decide where provision belongs.
Look for gaps and contradictions
Check whether advice covers all relevant needs and explains the provision required. Where reports disagree, describe the disagreement and ask how it was resolved. Do not assume the newest or privately commissioned report automatically carries greatest weight: relevance, expertise, reasoning and the evidence considered all matter.
Ask focused clarification questions
“Your report recommends a language programme. Please clarify who should deliver it, the direct and indirect professional input, frequency and review arrangements needed.” A focused question can be more useful than commissioning another broad assessment. Explain the deadline and the intended use of the clarification.
Prepare a usable evidence bundle
Use clear filenames, continuous page references where practical and a short contents list. Retain original reports and distinguish your annotations from the author’s words. In an appeal, follow the tribunal’s directions about evidence and bundles; do not assume a private filing system replaces the directed format.
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.
Keep the appendix and plan distinct
Attaching a report is not the same as specifying its recommendations in the plan. Essential provision should appear clearly in the correct section. If the authority does not adopt a recommendation, ask for its reasons and record the effect on the child or young person.
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.
When additional advice may help
Before seeking additional help, write down the decision or wording in dispute, the evidence already available and the deadline. Ask whether you need an explanation of the process, help presenting your evidence, a professional assessment or legal advice. Agree the task and any fee before commissioning work.
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.
EHCP support from Little Nellie’s
draft EHCP review support
EHCP evidence pack
SEND Tribunal preparation support
complete guide to EHCP applications and appeals
Little Nellie’s EHCP support prices
Official sources and EHCP services
Official sources: Children and Families Act 2014 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contentsSEND Code of Practice — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25SEND appeal guidance — https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decisionFree SEND guidance — https://www.ipsea.org.uk/The service links below describe Nellie’s paid support. Check current official instructions when filing an appeal.
Children and Families Act 2014
SEND Code of Practice
appeal an EHC plan decision
SEND35 appeal form
SEND35A refusal to assess appeal form
Record the next action and who will take it
Record the next task, the person responsible, the deadline and the document confirming it. Keep a copy of anything sent and any acknowledgement. If an agreed action does not happen, use that record to explain what is missing and ask for a dated response.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Section K contain only private reports?
No. It records the advice and information gathered during assessment, including statutory professional advice and relevant parent or young-person information.
Must every recommendation be copied word for word?
The plan should accurately identify needs and specify required provision. Disagreements or omissions need reasoned consideration; copying every sentence is not the aim.
What if an important report is missing?
Ask for it to be obtained or included, explain its relevance and check whether the assessment and plan adequately address the needs it concerns.
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 prepare before seeking advice?
Prepare the relevant request, decision letter or plan, a short list of the issues, the key evidence and any deadline. State the question you need answered and the action you have already taken. Ask how documents should be shared before sending sensitive records.
Does this guide apply outside England?
This guide concerns EHCPs in England. Wales uses the additional learning needs (ALN) system and individual development plans (IDPs); use Welsh Government guidance for that process. Scotland and Northern Ireland also have separate systems.
