Draft EHCP Co-Production Meetings

If you have a draft EHCP following an EHC Needs Assessment, you have 15 calendar days to respond to this draft EHCP, to request changes. For more information about how to make a robust response to a draft EHCP see this blog here.

Under SEND Regulations 13, the LA must agree to meet with you to discuss the draft plan if you request this. This meeting is called a co-production meeting and we strongly advise that you request one when you return your response to the draft EHCP to the LA.

The co-production meeting happens online via Teams and will include the caseworker, occasionally the EP, yourself and a representative or friend if you choose to have someone there to accompany you. When we attend co-production meetings to support parents with draft EHCPs we have checked, we find that the most successful strategy is for the LA to share your draft EHCP response on the screen and to work through all of the requested changes in turn. You will need to push hard for all of the amendments that the LA are not agreeing with to be included. Being able to quote key law, case law and pushing back on LA tricks will also help. Also use your professional evidence to justify changes.  And call out woolly wording. 

The law says that LAs must offer co-production meetings to parents before finalising a draft EHCP, but this is something they always seem to 'forget' to do. I wonder why? Could this be because these meetings routinely result in more robust provision for children and young people?

We support many families each week through the draft check and co-production process, avoiding the need to appeal because amendments are made, and the parents' choice of school agreed. If you would like support to check a draft EHCP and attend a co-production meeting, find out how Empowering Families of Children with SEND can help you here. 

If you have any questions, come and find us on our Facebook Group, we are always available to provide professional support there. 

Our YouTube channel has over 125 support videos. 

For more information about how Empowering Families can help you, email EHCPchecks@empoweringSENDfamilies.co.uk  

1 to 1 meetings are available to book here. 

We are, and always will be, Stronger Together. 

You can find testimonials to our bespoke services on our website and Facebook Business page here.