Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins, has requested an urgent meeting with Derbyshire County Council to discuss unacceptable delays to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) meaning children and schools left without the support they need.

When a child’s needs mean they require additional support that goes beyond what a school or college can typically deliver, then they may need an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). An EHCP is a legally binding document outlining a child’s special educational, health, and social care needs and creating a plan to ensure they have the support needed for their education.

Toby said, “I have been contacted by countless concerned parents over the last few months regarding the long delays to the EHCP process. Legally, the process should take a maximum of 20 weeks, but I have been informed by parents and local head teachers that plans are taking 40 to 50 weeks.

This is leaving children without the support they need to ensure they are getting a full education, but also means time and resources at school are being stretched, affecting the education of all pupils. Without an EHC Plan schools don’t get the extra resources they need to support children with special needs and children’s needs go undiagnosed and catered for.

I look forward to learning what has caused the delays that we are seeing currently and what actions are being taken to address it. “

Toby has now called an urgent meeting with Derbyshire County Council to discuss the long delays.