Autism and EHCPs - What you need to know

Ahead of World Autism Acceptance Month (April 2026), it is a good opportunity to highlight the importance of how a good Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can really make a difference for a child or young person with autism.

What is autism?

“Autism influences how people experience and interact with the world. It is a lifelong neurodivergence and disability. Autistic people are different from each other, but for a diagnosis they must share differences from non-autistic people in how they think, feel and communicate.”

What is an EHCP?

EHCPs are a legally enforceable document issued and maintained by local authorities for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and require special educational provision to be made for them through an EHCP, meaning provision that is not provided, as standard, through national maintained mainstream school resources.

Why is an EHCP needed for a child or young person with autism?

Many children and young people with autism have an EHCP maintained for them, but it is important to make sure the content of that EHCP (Section B – needs, and Section F – provision) are clear, up to date and detailed.

Section B (SEN) is made up of four types of SEN:

• Cognition and Learning
• Communication and Interaction
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Sensory and Physical

A child/YP with autism will likely have needs that fall into potentially all of these categories of SEN. For example, they may have difficulties with:

• Communicating and interacting with their peers and making friends
• Anxiety, including around school attendance
• Rigidity in their thinking and when faced with a change in routine
• Fine motor skill difficulties, such as using a pen or pencil
• Sensory sensitivities to smell, touch and sound

Professional input

It is important that appropriate professionals have provided advice and information ahead of Section B being drafted. Children and young people with autism will likely need advice and/or an up-to-date assessment from some/all the following:

• Educational Psychologist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Occupational Therapist

Always look at each child or young person’s individual need in determining which professionals are appropriate to assess and provide advice to inform the EHCP either through a draft Plan or following an Annual Review. There may be other professionals who also need to assess.

What provisions are needed?

We often see EHCPs where there is an outdated description of SEN in Section B, and this can also mean there is a lack of specified and quantified provision to meet those needs in Section F.

Section F (SEN provision) must have detailed, specified and quantified provisions to meet all the child or young person’s current needs in Section B. The professionals who assessed need to provide such recommendations. Remember, that these recommendations must be based on the individual needs and not what provision is only available through LA/NHS funding.

When reviewing Section F provision, keep a look out for words such as ‘access to’, ‘opportunities’ and ‘high level of support’ which all show a lack of detail that is legally required. For each provision, consider if it addresses the following:

• What – therapy or other provisions are being detailed?
• Who – will deliver this provision to the child/YP?
• Is this direct from the therapist or from a teaching assistant or teacher?
• Do they need to be experienced, trained or qualified in a particular specialism? Also, is the support to be delivered in a group and, if so, how many in this group?
• How often - will the provision be delivered? For example, daily, weekly, monthly?
• How long – will each session last? Is it for an hour, 30 minutes, 15 minutes or is it 1:1 support that is to be delivered all day?

As per the scope of needs that can be included in Section B, there is effectively no limit of what types of provisions can be set out in Section F to support a child or young person with autism. Provisions we have seen include:

• 1:1 teaching assistant support
• Direct occupational therapy
• Sensory integration therapy
• Direct speech and language therapy
• Support from a mental health professional
• Therapeutic programmes, such as Zones of Regulation
• Behavioural management programme
• Social skills groups
• Music therapy

Whether you have a draft or final EHCP, you should always check if Sections B and F are fully detailed, up to date and clear.

How to address issues with an EHCP

Should any amendments need to be made, or updated professional advice required, then these can be raised:

• through a response to a draft EHCP,
• at an Annual Review, or
• an appeal of a final EHCP to the SEND Tribunal

An appeal to the SEND Tribunal is also an option if an EHCP has not been prepared by the local authority.

Boyes Turner SEN Team can help at whatever stage you are at with your EHCP and can be contacted on 0118 467 6547 or via senexpertsolicitors@boyesturner.com.