✨Welcome to the EHCP Community Newsletter!✨

We’re thrilled to have you as part of this exclusive community of professionals dedicated to transforming the EHCP process. As champions of innovation in SEND services, you’re at the forefront of shaping how AI can support better outcomes for children, families, and caseworkers alike.

In our weekly newsletter you will find curated articles, thought pieces, success stories, and expert insights to help you understand how new types of technology and training can SEND services. So do engage, read the articles that interest you and share any perspectives you have as we all seek to make a lasting difference to lives of children and young people.

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Improving the EHCP Process - Agilisys Transform’s Response to The Education Committee

The Education Committee has called for evidence on how to improve the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process, recognising the urgent need for reform. With demand for EHCPs rising by 140% since 2015 and only half being completed within the statutory 20-week timeframe, councils need support.​

Our response highlights how generative AI can help address these challenges by:​

• Reducing the time taken to create EHCPs, allowing caseworkers to focus on quality. ​

• Ensuring consistency and fairness in EHCPs, reducing disputes and appeals. ​

• Enhancing communication with families through clearer, more accessible information. ​

• Supporting caseworkers by improving access to relevant information. ​

AI presents a practical, immediate solution to some of the biggest inefficiencies in the EHCP process, ensuring that children receive the support they need without unnecessary delays. As the Education Committee considers reforms, it is critical that technology is part of the conversation.​

SPECIAL NEEDS ALARM

The Scale of England’s SEND Crisis

England's special educational needs system is in crisis, with rising demands and insufficient funding leading to deficits. The Public Accounts Committee calls for better local authority decision-making, improved teacher training, and additional educational psychologists. The government must act to prevent a "lost generation" of unsupported students.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Education Minister Announces Ambitious SEND Reform Agenda

SPECIAL EDUCATION REPORT

Positive Report for SEND Services in Bedford

As a former SEND Teacher, Caseworker, and EHCP Writer, I’m heartened by the government’s SEND Crisis Review. EHCPs are vital for ensuring children with SEND get the right support, yet overburdened caseworkers often struggle with manual drafting, leading to inconsistencies.​

AI can change this. By automating and enhancing EHCP creation, we can ensure plans are consistently high-quality, fully capturing each child's needs. Agilisys Transform’s EHCP Plus tool is designed to do just that - personalising plans to local authority templates and improving outcomes for children.​

Click here to learn more📖

SEND SCREENING POLICY

The Case for a Universal SEND Screener in Early Primary

A universal screening tool for all Year 1 students in English primary schools is being proposed to identify early signs of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The light-touch assessment would evaluate key cognitive skills, including phonics, vocabulary, working memory, and sustained attention. Administered by teachers, the screening aims to provide individual profiles of students' strengths and weaknesses, guiding tailored classroom support and early interventions. This proactive approach seeks to address learning difficulties before they become entrenched, promoting better educational outcomes for all students.

CHARITY INITIATIVES

Charity Shop in Salford Providing SEND Students Work Experience

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE

Financial ‘Cliff Edge’ Facing Bristol City Council due to SEND Needs

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