This week has been a good focus on Haringey’s EHCP template. Yesterday, sendPACT was invited by Haringey Council to help audit the EHCP contents, and today we joined the review group as part of the next steps to improving the current EHCP template. Both meetings were very productive and we’re pleased to say that all parties were/are coming to an understanding from both sides.
One of the things we spent most time discussing at both meetings was the issue of the ECHP being SMART, i.e. being Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based. Everyone agreed that the provision section in the form must be SMART, but we added that SMART should also apply to outcomes.
The SEND code of practice states:
9.61 EHC plans must specify the outcomes sought for the child or young person. Outcomes in EHC plans should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound).
9.66 An outcome can be defined as the benefit or difference made to an individual as a result of an intervention. It should be personal and not expressed from a service perspective; it should be something that those involved have control and influence over, and while it does not always have to be formal or accredited, it should be SMART.
For both outcomes and provision, it’s not enough to have generic outcomes and say that some things can’t be SMART because they are ongoing or can’t be quantified.
If they’re not SMART, then they should be broken down or converted so that they can be written as SMART outcomes that are achievable over a term or a year.
Is your child’s ECHP SMART? See the VISEN website for a good example and also the Council for Disabled Children for more guidelines.
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