Letter: emergency annual review

Send this when your child’s needs have changed, the current plan is not working, or something urgent has happened, and you do not want to wait for the next scheduled review.

An EHC plan must be reviewed at least every 12 months. You can ask for an earlier review if circumstances have changed. For children under 5, the Code says reviews should be considered more often, around every 3 to 6 months, though that is guidance, not a fixed legal deadline. Explain what has changed and why waiting would harm your child. This applies in England; check your nation if elsewhere.

Here is the template.

To: [LA SEN TEAM EMAIL]. Copy to: [SCHOOL SENCO]. Date: [DATE]. Dear [NAME OR “SEN Team”].

Request for an early annual review of [CHILD’S NAME]’s EHC plan. Child’s name: [CHILD’S FULL NAME]. Date of birth: [DD/MM/YYYY]. Your reference: [REFERENCE NUMBER]. Current plan dated: [DATE]. Next review due: [DATE, IF KNOWN].

I am asking you to hold an early annual review of [CHILD’S NAME]’s EHC plan. I do not think it is right to wait until the next scheduled review because [his / her / their] situation has changed.

What has changed: [CHANGE 1, e.g. needs have increased and the current provision is no longer enough]; [CHANGE 2, e.g. a new diagnosis or professional report dated DATE]; [CHANGE 3, e.g. the current placement is breaking down]. The effect of waiting would be [DESCRIBE, e.g. my child remaining without suitable support, or a placement failing].

Please arrange an early review as soon as possible and tell me the proposed date. I would like the following people invited: [LIST, e.g. the SENCO, the educational psychologist, the speech and language therapist]. Yours faithfully, [YOUR FULL NAME], parent of [CHILD’S NAME].