The annual review is your yearly chance to check that your child’s EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan) still fits. It can feel like a test you have not revised for. It is not. It is a meeting about your child, and you know them best.
This guide walks you through what the law says, what happens at the meeting, how to get ready, and what you can do if you do not agree with the Local Authority’s decision afterwards. Everything here is checked against the law and official guidance.
If you want a quick read on where you stand before you start, our free SEND Rights Quiz tells you what rights apply to your situation in a few minutes.
How often does an EHCP have to be reviewed?
The Local Authority (your Local Authority) must review your child’s EHC plan at least once every 12 months. This is a legal duty, not a target.
The first review must happen within 12 months of the plan first being made. After that, a review must happen within 12 months of the last one. This comes from the Children and Families Act 2014, section 44, and is repeated in the SEND Code of Practice (paragraph 9.166).
Children under five
For a child under five, the SEND Code of Practice (paragraph 9.178) says Local Authorities “should consider reviewing an EHC plan for a child under five at least every three to six months”. This is guidance, not a hard deadline. It sits alongside the legal duty to review at least once a year, because young children change quickly. These shorter reviews can be simpler and may not need every professional to attend.
So the under-fives line is a “should consider”, not a date the Local Authority must hit. The firm legal deadline is still the once-a-year review.
What happens at an annual review meeting
The review is usually a meeting, normally held at your child’s school or setting. The people invited must include you, a representative of the school, a Local Authority SEN officer, a health representative and a social care representative. Everyone must get at least two weeks’ notice of the date (SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 20(3); Code of Practice 9.176).
Before the meeting, the school (or the Local Authority, if your child is not at a school) must gather advice and information about your child from everyone invited, and send it round at least two weeks before. So you should receive the reports in good time to read them.
At the meeting you will look at:
- Whether your child is making progress towards the outcomes in their plan
- Whether those outcomes still make sense
- Whether the support in the plan is working
- What needs to change, stay, or be added
You are an equal voice in that room. The review must be done in partnership with you and must take account of your views and your child’s.
What the Local Authority must do after the meeting
Two timescales matter here, and both are set in law.
The report: within two weeks. The school must prepare and send a report of the meeting to everyone invited within two weeks of the meeting. It must set out any recommended changes to the plan (SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 20(9); Code of Practice 9.176).
The decision: within four weeks. Within four weeks of the review meeting, the Local Authority must decide whether it will:
- keep the plan as it is (maintain), or
- amend (change) the plan, or
- cease to maintain (stop) the plan,
and it must tell you that decision in writing. This is regulation 20(10) of the SEND Regulations 2014.
If the Local Authority decides to amend the plan, it should start that process without delay. When it sends you a draft amended plan, you must get at least 15 days to comment, and the final amended plan must be sent within eight weeks of the Local Authority sending you the draft (SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 22).
How to prepare for your child’s EHCP annual review
Good preparation is mostly gathering and deciding what matters most. Here is a simple way to do it.
1. Pull your record together
Find your current EHC plan and read it with fresh eyes. Look at the outcomes (Section E) and the support (Sections F, G and H). Gather recent school reports, any therapy or specialist reports, and your own notes. Many parents keep a short diary of good days and hard days in the weeks before the review. It makes patterns easy to point to.
2. Set your top three priorities
You cannot fix everything in one meeting. Decide the three things that matter most this year. It might be a missing therapy, a support hour that is not happening in practice, or an outcome that no longer fits. Write them down so you do not lose them in the moment.
3. Write a parent contribution
Send a short written contribution before the meeting. A page is plenty. Say what is going well, what is not, and what you want to change. Putting it in writing means your points are on the record, not just spoken and forgotten.
4. Decide who to bring
You can bring someone for support: a partner, a friend, or an adviser. Your local SENDIASS (SEND Information, Advice and Support Service) offers this free. You do not have to walk in alone.
5. Prepare what to ask
Useful questions to take in:
- Is my child on track for each outcome? If not, why, and what changes?
- Is every line of support in the plan actually being delivered?
- Does the plan still describe my child’s needs accurately?
- What is being recommended, and does everyone in the room agree?
- What happens next, and by when?
During the meeting, take notes, and ask the chair to summarise anything agreed so your understanding matches the record.
A printable version of all of this, plus templates for your parent contribution, is inside The SEND Parent Booklet, our £29 step-by-step guide.
Your right to appeal
You have strong appeal rights, and they are unaffected by current SEND reform proposals. To be clear: the 2026 SEND reforms are at the consultation and proposal stage. The consultation closed in May 2026, and the government has said no changes to support through EHC plans would happen before at least September 2030. Any big legal change is years off. EHC plans remain fully legally enforceable right now.
You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal (the First-tier Tribunal) if the Local Authority:
- amends the plan and you disagree with the changes, or
- refuses to amend the plan after the review, or
- decides to cease (stop) the plan.
When the Local Authority sends a decision you can appeal, it must also tell you about your right to appeal, the time limit, and that you need to consider mediation first.
The deadline: you have two months from the date of the decision, or one month from the date of your mediation certificate, whichever is later. Before you can appeal, you must contact an independent mediation adviser and get a certificate (you do not have to go ahead with mediation itself, but you must consider it).
If you are facing an amendment or a cease decision and you want expert help, you can find an independent SEND professional through our directory.
Where to get free, official help
This article is information, not legal advice. For formal, free advice on your situation, contact:
- IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice), ipsea.org.uk
- Your local SENDIASS, free and impartial, search “SENDIASS” plus your Local Authority name
- GOV.UK guidance on children with special educational needs and disabilities
Frequently asked questions
How often must the Local Authority review my child’s EHCP?
At least once every 12 months. The first review must be within 12 months of the plan being made, then within 12 months of each review after that. This is set in the Children and Families Act 2014, section 44.
When must the Local Authority tell me its decision after the review?
Within four weeks of the review meeting. The Local Authority must say whether it will keep, amend, or stop the plan (SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 20(10)). The written report of the meeting must be sent within two weeks.
My child is under five. Should reviews be more frequent?
The SEND Code of Practice says Local Authorities should consider reviewing an under-five’s plan at least every three to six months. This is guidance, not a strict legal deadline. The firm legal duty is still the once-a-year review.
Can I appeal if the Local Authority changes or stops the plan?
Yes. You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal if the Local Authority amends the plan and you disagree, refuses to amend it, or decides to cease it. You normally have two months from the decision, or one month from your mediation certificate, whichever is later. You must consider mediation first.
What should I bring to the meeting?
Your current plan, recent reports, your own notes or diary, your top three priorities, and a short written contribution sent in advance. Bring someone for support if you can, such as a SENDIASS adviser.
You do not have to do this alone
The annual review can feel heavy, but it is your meeting and your voice carries weight. Get your record together, pick your priorities, and walk in knowing your rights.
Not sure where you stand right now? Take our free SEND Rights Quiz. In a few minutes it tells you what applies to your situation, so you go into the review clear and prepared. And if you want every step and template in one place, The SEND Parent Booklet has you covered.