Over the past decade, the number of children receiving Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) has grown significantly across England. For many families navigating the SEND system, this rise raises an obvious question:
Why are so many more children needing EHCPs?
The answer is rarely simple. It is not the result of a single change or a sudden shift in children’s needs. Instead, it reflects a combination of growing awareness, evolving understanding of neurodivergence, and the realities of navigating a system that can sometimes feel difficult to access.
One important reason for the increase is that we are simply getting better at recognising children’s needs.
Conditions such as autism, ADHD, speech and language difficulties, and sensory processing differences are now far more widely understood than they were even ten or fifteen years ago. Teachers, parents, and professionals are increasingly able to identify when a child may need additional support.
For many families, this recognition brings relief. It helps explain why their child may have been struggling in ways that were previously misunderstood.
In many cases, families do not start their journey by asking for an EHCP.
Parents usually hope that school-based support will be enough. Teachers and SENCOs often work hard to provide adjustments and strategies within the classroom. For some children, this works well.
But when a child continues to struggle — academically, socially, or emotionally — families may begin to look for more structured support. This is often the point where an EHCP becomes part of the conversation.
An EHCP is designed to bring together education, health, and care needs into one legally recognised plan. For some children, this level of coordinated support can make a meaningful difference.
Although EHCPs exist to support children, the process of applying for one can feel complicated for families encountering it for the first time.
There are forms, assessments, reports, and timelines to understand. The language used in policy and guidance can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Parents often find themselves learning a great deal about the system very quickly, simply because they want to ensure their child receives the right support.
When families understand how the system works, it can make a significant difference. Knowledge helps replace uncertainty with confidence.
Parents can approach conversations with schools more calmly, understand the steps involved in assessments, and feel better equipped to advocate for their child when needed.
This is one of the reasons we created the Week of SEND at Sunshine Academy.
The Week of SEND brings together a series of webinars and sessions designed to help families understand the SEND system more clearly.
Across the week, our advocates explore topics including:
applying for an EHCP
understanding expert reports
navigating refusals to assess
reviewing draft EHCPs
preparing for appeals and tribunals
understanding referral pathways and support options
Each session is designed to replace confusion with clarity to help families feel more confident navigating the system that supports their children.
Because when the system feels complex, understanding it becomes one of the most powerful tools families can have.
