The ‘Health’ part of an education health and care plan
4 mins read
Monday 2 March 2026
This advice applies in England only.
Today on Radio 4’s SEND in the Spotlight, mum Becci Tobin, a Contact Changemaker, has spoken about the importance of the health part of her son Keir’s education health and care (EHC) plan EHC, to ensure he can go to school safely and enjoy all the activities and opportunities there.
Keir has a rare, life limiting genetic condition. He is blind and has multiple seizures a day, as well as highly complex medical needs. His health care needs are fully met at school, and they provide a range of sensory activities. He enjoys hearing the sound of other pupils and staff. Despite Keir’s profound disabilities, the school recently took him to a farm where he enjoyed the animal sounds.
Health support in schools
Amanda Elliot, Health lead at Contact, said:
“Health support in schools is vitally important to ensure children with health conditions can safely enjoy, learn and take part in school like other children. There are great examples of schools delivering health support, but we also hear from parents who must battle to get that care for their child. We would have liked a greater focus on health in the schools white paper. It’s a key part of the puzzle to ensure all children feel welcome and safe at school.”
Debate over the schools white paper is focused largely on mainstream. But special schools need funding and resources too. Many do an incredible job. But a lot of staff are dealing with toileting or moving children, rather than giving them learning experiences.
Contact has called for:
- Access to a wider range of health specialists – educational psychologists, occupational, speech and physiotherapists and specialists for children with visual and hearing impairments – in mainstream and special schools.
- More school nurses in special and mainstream schools. We’d like to see community nurses in special schools who can train and directly oversee and support staff to carry out healthcare and medical procedures (under formal delegation).
- Extended powers for the SEND tribunal to be able to force health to act over provision. At present they can only recommend health provision.
- Specialist health provision for children without EHC plans who have SEN or School based support including ready access to speech and occupational and physiotherapists.
Our analysis of health in the schools white paper – what it includes
- Health is mentioned just 145 times in the SEND consultation document – including footnotes and references.
- Explicit pledge to protect and enhance EHC plans for children with the most complex needs. Crucially document offers no definition of complexity
- Reforms will work ‘hand-in-hand’ with the NHS 10 Year Health Plan -based on early intervention to stop needs escalating
- Health professionals will provide ‘wrap around support’ via integrated health, care, and family services, to identify and address children’s needs earlier as soon as they emerge.
- Children with the most (undefined) complex needs will be able to continue to attend special schools but there will be new expectations and pressures on those schools and staff to share expertise with mainstream schools.
We will be doing a full analysis of different sections of the Schools White Paper very soon.
Have your say on the SEND white paper
The government has published its consultation document and asks for comments from everyone with an interest. You can take part online.
The consultation closes on 11:59pm on 18 May 2026.
The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) is delivering a series of online events in March 2026 in relation to the SEND Reform Government Consultation. Two of the sessions are for parent carers, with others reserved for professionals working in different settings.
See all dates and book your place now.
Contact is running a series of focus groups for parent carers this month, but these are now all booked up.