EHC plans should be used to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations. They must be reviewed by the local authority as a minimum every 12 months.

The first review must be held within 12 months of the date when the EHC plan was issued, and then within 12 months of any previous review, and the local authority’s decision following the review meeting must be notified to the child’s parent or the young person within four weeks of the review meeting (and within 12 months of the date of issue of the EHC plan or previous review).

Please bear in mind that an Annual Review is not just the meeting; it refers to the whole process and is only complete once the Local Authority have issued it’s decision following the meeting, and so enough time must be allowed in your planning to ensure this can occur within the statutory timescales.

At least four weeks before AR Meeting:

•Obtain child / young person views

•Seek parent/carer views

•Seek advice/reports from all involved practitioners/services

At least two weeks before AR meeting:

•Send invites to AR meeting to parents/carers, young person (Year 9 and above), Family Services and any involved practitioners from Health and social care services.

•Share all received advice/reports, parent/carer views and pupil views with invitation

On the day of the AR Meeting:

•Ensure enough time has been set aside – we recommend at least 1.5 hours

•Complete AR Report. Can also be useful to annotate EHCP where changes are being requested.

•For pupils in Year 9 and above – complete/update Moving into Adulthood Plan

Within two weeks of AR meeting

•Send Annual Review report, all supporting advice/reports, parent carer views, child/young person views, annotated EHCP (if relevant) and Moving into Adulthood Plan (Year 9+) – send to everyone invited to meeting, including Family Services

Within four weeks of AR meeting

•Local Authority decides whether to leave the plan unchanged, amend it or cease it. They will inform the parents/carers, Young Person (where relevant) and school/setting.

Download a pdf version of these timescales here.

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Annual Review Documentation

Annual Review for an EHCP Year 8 and below Last updated: 11/11/2019

Annual Review for an EHCP Year 9 and above Last updated: 11/11/2019

Moving into adulthood plan Last updated 06/10/2020

Example 1 Moving into Adulthood Plan and One Page Profile

Example 2 Moving into Adulthood Plan and One Page Profile

‘This is me’ One Page Profile template Last updated 19/12/2019

Please find below two versions of the Family’s View Form. Families can choose which version they would like to complete prior to the Annual Review; they both contain the same questions but are set out in different ways. This form should be attached to the completed Annual Review form and returned to the Local Authority.

Family’s View Form (Version 1) Last updated: 01/06/2015

Family’s View Form (Version 2) Last updated: 01/06/2015

Please send all Annual Reviews to the following dedicated Family Services mailboxes: North (Lowestoft, Waveney, Suffolk Coastal) [email protected] South (Ipswich North, East, South and West) [email protected] West (Bury St Edmunds and Central Suffolk) [email protected]