How to write your parental views for an EHCP
During an EHC needs assessment, the council must ask for your views. They feed into section A of the plan and into how the council understands your child. You know your child best, so your contribution matters.
A simple structure
- About my child. Their personality, interests, strengths and what makes them happy.
- What a typical day looks like. Morning, school, after school and bedtime, including the hard parts.
- Their needs. Learning, communication, social and emotional, sensory and physical, with examples.
- What helps and what does not. Support that has worked, and support that has been tried without success.
- Hopes for the future. Short-term goals for the next year or two, and longer-term hopes.
- Your child's own views, in their words or shown through drawings, if they can share them.
Tips that make it count
- Be specific. "Needs an adult to help start writing tasks every time" is clearer than "struggles with writing".
- Use examples with dates. Your diary is the best source. Patterns over weeks are powerful.
- Describe your child on a hard day, not only on their best day. Many parents understate difficulties.
- Include the impact at home. Sleep, meltdowns after school, and the effect on siblings and work are all relevant.
- Say what you think they need. For example, small-group teaching, speech and language therapy, or a quiet space.
- Keep a copy and check later that section A reflects what you said.
Using EHCPlog for your views
The evidence pack lets you add your own statement at the top, with your dated entries and a summary of patterns underneath. Many parents use it as the basis for their written views. Read our guide to what an EHCP contains to see where section A fits.