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Introduction
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If concerns arise that a child who has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) may have been sexually abused or be at risk of sexual abuse, the information contained in their EHCP can help to inform the multi-agency safeguarding and support response to the child. This information needs to be shared effectively and appropriately in order to ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.
An EHCP is a legally binding document that sets out the education, health and social care needs of a child or young person (up to the age of 25) who has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). It specifies the support required – from schools, local authorities, healthcare providers and other services – to meet those needs, and the desired outcomes from the provision of that support.
EHCPs are held by the local authority SEND team and are designed to ensure that children and young people receive a coordinated package of support from multiple agencies. They are reviewed regularly to reflect the child’s progress, changing circumstances or emerging needs.
An EHCP typically contains background information about the child, including their educational history, health and developmental needs, social and family context, and any specific learning or behavioural difficulties. It also sets out the provision required, the desired outcomes from that provision, and the responsibilities of different agencies in meeting the child’s needs.
Information about the child’s communication preferences and methods, cognitive or emotional needs, and physical health requirements is often included too. Where relevant, details of interventions already in place or assessments conducted by health, education or social care practitioners may be incorporated.
If relevant information from an EHCP is shared with other practitioners involved in the multi-agency response to the child, it will improve their understanding of the child’s needs and the support necessary to promote their wellbeing and safeguard them from harm, and help them to coordinate that support. For example, health practitioners can ensure timely interventions for physical or mental health needs, children’s social care can assess safeguarding or welfare concerns, and the child’s school can make reasonable adjustments to teaching or learning environments.
Given that many children with SEND are more vulnerable to child sexual abuse and other forms of harm, sharing information from the EHCP can also help multi-agency partners identify and mitigate risks, plan protective actions, and respond effectively to concerns.
Any requests to share information within a child’s EHCP should be made to the local authority SEND team, which is responsible for the EHCP. Where possible, this information should be shared by way of summary or targeted extract, rather than by circulating the full EHCP.
EHCPs often contain information that is not relevant to safeguarding decision‑making and should not be shared without a clear purpose, such as:
- detailed educational attainment information that does not relate to safety or vulnerability
- historical or contextual material included for planning purposes but no longer relevant
- sensitive family, health or diagnostic information that does not inform current risk or protection
- full professional reports appended to the EHCP where only specific conclusions are relevant.