JOB PROFILE
What Is an EHC Plan Writer?
IN THIS JOB PROFILE
You Will Learn.
- What is an EHC Plan Writer?
- How to become an EHC Plan Writer?
- What are the responsibilities of an EHC Plan Writer?
- What qualifications does an EHC Plan Writer need?
- What is the average salary of an EHC Plan Writer?
- Who employs an EHC Plan Writer?
- What skills does an EHC Plan Writer need?
- Where the latest EHC Plan Writer jobs are and how to apply for them
What Is an EHC Plan Writer?
Formerly known as a ‘statement of special educational needs,' an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is for children and young people aged up to 25 who require more support than what is available through special educational needs support.
An EHC Plan identifies the educational, health and social needs of the young person and it also sets out the additional support to meet those needs. If a parent, guardian, school, paediatrician or social worker believes the child or young person requires an EHC Plan, they can contact their local authority. The local authority will review all the evidence and decide whether to assess the young person.
At the end of the assessment, the local authority will decide whether to issue an EHCP; a specialist EHC Plan Writer will write the EHCP which is fully compliant with the Children and Families Act.
What Are the Responsibilities of an EHC Plan Writer?
As an EHC Plan Writer, you will be responsible for interpreting and adhering to the principles and statutory processes outlined in the SEN Code of Practice. Effectively prioritising workloads will be essential to manage diverse responsibilities.
Collaboration and communication are key aspects of your work, as you will regularly liaise with parents of children with special educational needs, SEND Casework Officers, health and social care professionals, Educational Psychologists, specialist teachers, Headteachers, and staff from schools and colleges.
A significant part of your role involves drafting well-written and easily comprehensible EHC plans. This requires interpreting sensitive and complex information from professional assessments related to individual children's special educational needs, health requirements, and social care needs. Ensuring that EHC Plans meet legal requirements and can withstand external scrutiny is of utmost importance.
As part of your responsibilities, you will carefully review the assessment reports, identifying any gaps or discrepancies to ensure comprehensive plans are formulated. Also, you’ll actively contribute to the development of best practices relating to education, health, and care plan writing, promoting continuous improvement and effective support.
Additionally, you will prepare evidence to support mediation and tribunals, which requires attention to detail and the ability to present information in legal proceedings. Overall, your role will play a crucial part in ensuring that children with special educational needs receive the necessary support and resources to thrive and succeed.
While working as an EHC Plan Writer, you will be required to:
- Interpret and adhere to the principles and statutory processes described in the SEN Code of Practice.
- Ensure that statutory timescales are strictly adhered to.
- Prioritise workloads.
- Liaise with parents of children with special education needs, SEND Casework Officers, health and social care professionals, Educational Psychologists, specialist teachers, head teachers and staff from schools and colleges. You must keep all parties up to date at all times.
- Draft well written, easy to read and jargon free EHC Plans.
- Interpret sensitive and complex information from professional assessment relating to individual children with special educational needs, health needs and social care needs.
- Ensure EHC Plans meet legal requirements and will satisfy external scrutiny.
- Identify any gaps or discrepancies in the reports provided by the assessment.
- Contribute to the development of best practice and procedures relating to education, health and care plan writing.
- Prepare evidence to support mediation and tribunals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Become an EHC Plan Writer
To become an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) writer in the UK, you will need to acquire relevant qualifications in education, social work, or healthcare.
Furthermore, you will need to gain experience in special education needs, understand EHCP processes and seek employment with local authorities, schools, or other organisations involved in EHCP development and implementation.
What Qualifications Does an EHC Plan Writer Need?
The exact qualifications and skills required for EHCP Writer jobs can vary depending on the employer and the specific role.
Skills and experiences are more typically required or preferred. It will always include a solid understanding of the SEND Code of Practice and experience of working in education or social care.
What Is the Average Salary of an EHC Plan Writer?
The average salary of an EHCP Writer jobs can vary between £28,000 and £35,000 depending on a range of factors, such as the level of experience, location, and employer.
The average salary for an EHC plan writer in the UK is around £28,000 to £35,000 per year.
However, salaries can range from around £20,000 to over £50,000 per year depending on the specific employer and job location.
It's important to note that the salary of an EHC Plan Writer can also vary based on the industry in which they work. For example, those working in local government may earn a different salary than those working in education or healthcare settings.
Additionally, some EHCP Writer jobs may offer additional benefits such as pension schemes or paid leave.
Who Employs an EHC Plan Writer?
The majority of EHC Plan Writers jobs are in the public sector and are employed by Local Authorities.
What Skills Does an EHC Plan Writer Need?
To work as an EHC Plan Writer, you will need excellent organisational skills to manage multiple cases and meet strict deadlines. Strong IT and communication abilities are also crucial for liaising with various parties within the SEND system.
Empathy and mediation will help EHC Plan Writers to resolve complex situations and confidentiality is vital for dealing with sensitive information.
Considering the nature of the role, tact, diplomacy, and attention to detail are also essential skills for EHC Plan Writers. Your role significantly impacts the wellbeing of children with special educational needs, making your skills pivotal for positive outcomes.
Key skills of an EHC Plan Writer include:
- Being organised.
- Working to strict deadlines.
- Ability to manage multiple cases and a potentially busy workload.
- Excellent IT skills.
- Fantastic communication skills to liaise with various different parties.
- The ability to empathise and mediate in order to resolve complex situations.
- Dealing with sensitive or private information.
- Tact, diplomacy and lateral thinking in some instances.
- Attention to detail and quality. Due to the lack of a universal EHC plan template, many Ofsted local area inspections have reported an inconsistency in the quality of EHC plans.
EHC Plan Writer Insights.
EHC Plan Writer Jobs.
If you're searching for your next career opportunity, why not take a look at all the latest EHC Plan Writer jobs available now?
At Spencer Clarke Group, we work wIth hundreds of Local Authorities throughout the UK so why not get in contact with one of our specialists who can advise on current and upcoming opportunities?
We offer a range of permanent, temporary and interim contracts - including fully remote or hybrid working patterns.
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