EHCP help in Sheffield: where to start and who can help
An EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan, often called an EHCP) is a legal document. It sets out the extra help a child or young person with special educational needs must get. In Sheffield, a council team called SENDSARS runs the process. Any parent can ask for an assessment by email. Our free tool shows you each step, works out every deadline and writes the letters for you.
Feeling lost? You're not alone
"You have no idea where you are in the process, it's bewildering."
A Sheffield parent said this to the Learn Sheffield SEND Enquiry in 2025. Many parents feel the same. The EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan) process has its own words, its own deadlines and lots of waiting. You don't need to know any of it before you start. This page explains it one piece at a time.
What is an EHC plan?
An EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan) is written by the council. It describes your child's needs and the help they must get, such as extra teaching, speech therapy or a place at a particular school. Once the plan is final, the council must make sure that help is given. It's for children and young people aged 0 to 25.
To get one, you first ask the council for an EHC needs assessment. That means the council collects reports about your child from school, health and care professionals. Then it decides whether to write a plan.
Who does what in Sheffield
- SENDSARS, Sheffield City Council's EHC plan team
- SENDSARS stands for SEND Statutory Assessment and Review Service. (SEND means special educational needs and disabilities.) This is the team you send your request to. It runs the assessment and writes the plan. Email SENDAssess&Review@sheffield.gov.uk or phone 0114 273 6394.
- The EHC Panel
- A group of education, health and care staff at the council. It meets every week and decides whether to assess and whether to write a plan. You don't go to it. You get its decision in a letter.
- Sheffield SENDIAS, free advice for parents
- SENDIAS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support. It's free, confidential and separate from the council's decisions. It can explain your options and help with letters. Phone 0114 273 6009 or visit sheffieldsendias.org.uk.
- Sheffield Parent Carer Forum
- A group run by parents of children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). It offers peer support from people who have been through it. Phone 0300 321 4721 or visit sheffieldparentcarerforum.org.uk.
How do I ask for an EHC plan in Sheffield?
You email or write to SENDSARS, the council's EHC plan team, and ask for an EHC needs assessment. You don't need the school's permission or a diagnosis. Read how to apply for an EHCP in Sheffield, step by step.
How long does an EHC plan take in Sheffield?
By law, the council has 20 weeks from getting your request to send the final EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan). In 2025, just over 1 in 4 Sheffield plans were finished in that time. Read how long an EHCP takes in Sheffield, week by week.
What if Sheffield City Council is late?
If a legal deadline has passed and you've heard nothing, you can chase it in writing. If that doesn't work, you can make a formal complaint. Read what to do when the council is late with an EHCP.
Is your child moving school in September 2027?
If your child already has an EHC plan (Education, Health and Care plan), the council must name the new school before 15 February 2027. Read the key dates for moving school with an EHCP in Sheffield.
How EHC Plan Helper helps
- Shows you which step you're at and what comes next
- Works out every legal deadline from the dates in your letters
- Tells you clearly when the council is late, and by how many days
- Writes each letter for you, with the law quoted, after a few plain questions
- Keeps a log of calls and emails, and prints a summary for Sheffield SENDIAS or a solicitor
It's free, there's no account and no adverts. Everything you type stays on your own phone or computer. It's an independent volunteer project, not part of the council.
What to do next
Pick the one that fits you. There's no wrong place to start.
- I haven't asked for anything yet: start at step 1 in EHC Plan Helper. It takes about 5 minutes to get going.
- I've already asked, or have letters from the council: open EHC Plan Helper and add your dates. It will show you whether anything is late.
- I want to talk to someone: phone Sheffield SENDIAS on 0114 273 6009.
What the law says
Children and Families Act 2014, section 36(8)
"The local authority must secure an EHC needs assessment for the child or young person if, after having regard to any views expressed and evidence submitted under subsection (7), the authority is of the opinion that— (a) the child or young person has or may have special educational needs, and (b) it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan."
Read section 36 on legislation.gov.uk
SEND Regulations 2014, regulation 13(2)
The final plan must be issued "as soon as practicable, and in any event within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment".
Last checked: October 2026. Sheffield figures are from the Department for Education's EHC plan statistics for 2026. This is information, not legal advice. Who makes EHC Plan Helper.