EHC plans to go digital as part of Government SEND review, with Idox leading the way

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system has long needed an overhaul, with various stakeholders, including parents, educators, and local authorities, voicing concerns over bureaucracy and inefficiencies. To transform how SEND is supported, the government has unveiled a groundbreaking SEND improvement plan, with priorities to digitise Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans. This move aims to ensure that the right support is provided in the right place and at the right time for children and young people with SEND and alternative provision (AP).

Under the new SEND reforms, the government is committed to investing in the implementation of a digital-first approach to EHC plans. This includes creating a standardised digital format that will make it easier for information to be shared securely among relevant parties. With the digitalisation of EHC plans, it is hoped that the bureaucracy around the statuary processes can be reduced, and that families can be given access to their information in a clear and accessible way.

At the heart of this transformative process is Idox’s EHC Hub. Idox, a leading provider of digital solutions for the public and private sectors, introduced the EHC Hub in 2017, working closely with local authorities to facilitate the transition to digital processes. The Idox EHC Hub has already demonstrated its efficacy in several areas, such as efficiency, collaboration, accessibility, and data insights.

Chris Evans, Divisional Director, Community Solutions said, “We know that technology brings benefits to managing EHCP processes. With the number of children and young people with EHC plans up by 9.5% from 2022, it is now more important than ever to streamline processes and realise the benefits of digitisation. A logical approach to digitising EHCPs is to use a system specifically designed for that purpose, ensuring equal accessibility for all stakeholders. This may mean that the best tool for the job is not already available within the local authority. Unlike other solution providers who offer multi-purpose, configurable software platforms and ask each Local Authority to plan and build EHC processes from scratch, we have chosen to make SEND our business.” 

We’ve wrestled for years with how to improve co-production and transparency. Now with the EHC Hub, we have a far more collaborative process, with better outcomes for all involved.

Contact us for more information about Idox’s end-to-end solutions for SEND and other innovative software solutions.