When an EHCP Isn’t Working: How to Request an Emergency Review
- Rebekah Advocate
- Nov 20, 2025
- 2 min read
Sometimes, even after all the effort it takes to secure an EHCP, things still don’t go as planned.
Maybe your child’s needs have changed.
Maybe the provision isn’t being delivered.
Or maybe the placement is simply not working.
Whatever the reason, you don’t have to wait until the next annual review. You have the right to request an emergency (or early) review when a plan is no longer fit for purpose.
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⚠️ Signs an EHCP Isn’t Working
You might start noticing things like:
Your child is regressing or refusing to attend school
Reports of increased anxiety, distress, or meltdowns
Provision listed in Section F not being delivered as written
Professionals expressing concern that the setting can no longer meet needs
A significant change in diagnosis, medical needs, or family circumstances
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to act. The sooner you address it, the better the chance of putting the right support in place before things escalate.
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🗂️ Your Right to Request an Early or Emergency Review
Under the SEND Code of Practice (2015, section 9.193), an annual review can be brought forward at any time if it’s necessary.
That means you can write to your Local Authority (LA) or the school named in Section I and request an emergency review if you believe the EHCP no longer meets your child’s needs.
Your request should include:
Your child’s full name and date of birth
The reason you believe the EHCP is no longer suitable
Any supporting evidence (e.g., reports, emails, school records)
A clear request that an emergency review be convened as soon as possible
Keep your communication polite but firm. The LA has a duty to ensure the plan remains appropriate — this is not optional.
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🗓️ What Happens Next
Once the review is agreed:
1. The school or LA will invite relevant professionals to attend.
2. You can submit your own parental advice and any recent evidence.
3. The review meeting should look at whether the EHCP still meets your child’s needs and, if not, what must change.
4. The LA must then issue either an amended EHCP or confirm in writing that no changes are needed (which can itself be appealed).
If the LA refuses to hold the review, or delays unreasonably, you can escalate the issue through a formal complaint — and if necessary, prepare for an appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
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💬 My Advice as a Parent and Advocate
If you’re at this stage, please know this: you are not overreacting.
You are advocating.
When an EHCP stops working, it’s often because the system around your child hasn’t kept up — not because you’ve failed.
Trust your instincts. You know when something isn’t right.
And remember, you don’t have to face it alone.
I offer both 1:1 guidance sessions (for parents who want to handle it themselves) and full support packages for those who need hands-on help preparing requests, evidence, and next steps.
Every child deserves a plan that truly works — not one that just looks good on paper.
💚
Rebekah Herbert
Independent SEND EHCP Advisor
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